The most important signing of the 2001 preseason wasn't Mark Smith or Ross Verba or even Ben Gay. It was Dwayne Rudd, the former Minnesota Vikings linebacker who plays fast and furious, sideline to sideline, all game long. Rudd figures to be a monumental upgrade over Rahim Abdullah, the lost-looking will linebacker who now stands as the biggest draft-day bust of the new Browns franchise.

Rudd is a serious athlete. At 6-2 and 237 pounds, Rudd is both highly mobile and extremely coordinated, with outstanding balance and body control. He flies to the ball, shows great range in pursuit, and can blitz the passer or drop into man coverage. In a word, he can do it all. It's hard to overestimate the impact Rudd will have on the defense. Minnesota was not happy about losing this player, and Browns fans should be ecstatic about his addition.

A first round draft pick of the Vikings out of the University of Alabama, Rudd made an immediate impact with the Vikes as a rookie in 1997. He racked 44 tackles and five sacks while appearing in every game that year. In four years with Minnesota, Rudd has tallied 400 tackles and 11 sacks, including a career-high 152 tackles in 1999. A two-time All-Madden team selection, Rudd brings the speed, quickness, and aggressiveness that Butch Davis likes to see in his football players.