BEREA -The Browns used the second pick in the fourth-round that was obtained
in the Chris Crocker trade to address their offensive line.
Phil Savage said Isaac Sowells will most likely be moved to the guard
position and the team hopes he can challenge for a starting position by the 2007
season.
“Isaac Sowells played left tackle at Indiana,” Savage said. “About mid year,
he showed what his potential could be at the NFL level.”
Sowells was excited—almost giddy—about being selected by the Browns.
“I was surprised,” he said. “(Savage) called me and said we were either going
to pick you at 110 or 112 because Baltimore had the 111 pick. My mother didn't
even know yet. I'm a little excited. When I read my name, I broke down and
started crying.”
Savage explained why the Browns see the potential in Sowells on the inside.
“Sowells really improved as time went along,” Savage said. “We see him as a
guard. He doesn't have the height for a left tackle (6-3) at the pro level, but
we think he'll be a very athletic player at guard.
“He'll probably be a guard for us and we hope going into 2007 he can be a
candidate to take one of those guard positions,” Savage said. “We think with his
athleticism and size (324 pounds), he can be a good fit there.”
Joe Andruzzi and Cosey Coleman are the current starters at guard, but both
have been plagued with knee injuries.
“We wanted to find a younger guard to develop for `07 relative to what the
holes are now,” Savage said. “I think we've done a good job in improving our
offensive line.”
Sowells said he sees no problem in making the transition to guard.
“I've been playing left tackle for the past three years,” he said. “I played
guard after my redshirt year. They said they were going to move me back to
guard.”