Five Under the Radar

[BernietheKid]

Five Under the Radar
RB James Davis
By Zac Jackson
FoxSportsOhio.com
Posted May 29, 2010



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FSN's Zac Jackson looks at five unheralded Browns who could make an impact...


Here's a list of five young, under-the-radar players whose contributions could go a long way towards pushing the Browns to some level of success this season...

1. James Davis -- It's hard to believe he's under the radar, but it's been a long time since his injury last fall (and the ensuing speculation) that ended his promising rookie season. Jerome Harrison went on to blow up, and second-rounder Montario Hardesty has been the subject of much hype and hope this spring. But Davis is a guy who knows how to find daylight and yards, and coming back a year stronger and smarter should only help him pick up where he left off. The one thing the Browns backfield has is a bunch of uncertainty, and I've seen nothing to indicate that Davis is too far behind anyone in the chase for carries as business picks up over the next couple months.

2. Coye Francies -- How and why he didn't get more playing time last year was a decision that was above my pay grade then and isn't worth rehashing now. Here's why he can help this year: Because he's big, fast, presumably learned from whatever was keeping him sidelined on Sunday last year and should have an added comfort level and confidence. You need more corners than the Browns probably have to win over the course of a long season, and this is a guy that certainly won't be physically overwhelmed by anybody on the practice field. I'm not saying he'll be a starter, but he could be a big part of a big upgrade at the cornerback position.

3. Larry Asante -- One of my favorites in this draft class (like Davis was last year), Asante slipped to the back end of the draft because he's an inch too short and a half-step too slow when timed (like Davis was last year). But he is a football player, he comes from a big-time program in Nebraska and one of college football's best-coached defenses, and to me he's as NFL ready as Joe Haden or T.J. Ward. He doesn't exactly have Ronnie Lott and Eric Turner in front of him on the depth chart, either, so he's one to watch this summer.

4. Kaluka Maiava -- He's still a guy that's probably too small to be an every-down linebacker and probably was drafted a round or two early last spring. But he has the smarts, toughness and instincts to be a contributor and a tone-setter, and Maiava has come back noticeably bigger and stronger than he was a year ago. He's always been an outstanding special teamer and now that he has a year of NFL special teams work under his belt, it's hard to see Maiava not winning a spot on the roster and making plays when the games count. Remember: The guy hunts wild boar with his bare hands. When it comes time to scrap, you want him on your side.

5. Evan Moore -- Because Brian Robiskie doesn't qualify as off the radar we go to Moore, a 6-foot-8ish target who caught a bunch of passes at the end of last season in what was essentially a tryout he made the most of. He's still learning the game and the position, and whenever he was on the field last year the Browns certainly weren't running the ball behind him. But a spring's worth of work on his blocking and strength should serve him well, and though he's behind Ben Watson and Alex Smith now those guys probably can't be counted on to be healthy for 16 games. He'll get extended chances and another shot to make the most of them.

Scout.com: Five Under the Radar

[Enigmatic Evil]

My thoughts on the five...

JAMES DAVIS
Remember before the draft when that article came out with that interview with Davis. He came off as utterly devoted to impress everyone after his rookie campaign fell short and pretty much everyone was excited about that. Now that we've drafted Hardesty, all the buzz and discussion surrounding him has completely overshadowed Davis and I think this is a GOOD thing. Harrison, Davis/Hardesty (Whichever emerges on top in the depth chart) is a trio I feel good about and I stand by, let whoever emerges as the top two backs in pre-season and training camp run wild this season because I don't think anyone here believes Harrison can shoulder the load alone for a whole season. Give Harrison the primary carries and let Davis and Hardesty keep Harrison fresh and opposing D-'s on their toes.

COYE FRANCIES
I watched a couple pre-season games last year and Francies made some HUGE coverage mistakes (albiet, 'rookie mistakes') and I think those were the kinds of mistakes that kept him off the field for the most part last season. If he's 'learned his lesson' as it were I think he could add depth to our fledgling secondary because he's young and he has talent. If he can grow to be a productive player and maybe push Brandon McDonald I would say our cornerbacks are in pretty good shape.

LARRY ASANTE
I'm not going to lie, when we drafted Asante late I was kind of rasing an eyebrow and going "huh?" all but forgetting how much I've cried for us to address our glaring lack of Safety depth. I can't help but note the noticeable bias the writer of this article had toward Asante but if he's confident that Asante could be an impact player for our D than that's good enough for me really. I don't want Elam starting for us and if Asante (or Ward) could take his spot in the secondary I would be very happy.

KALUKA MAIAVA
I feel like I'm the only guy around here singing praise for this kid. He came from the bowels of the linebacker depth chart to step up and make plays for us on the field. That is something we should all be pretty excited about. YEAH sure, he had moments where mistakes were made but I would expect that of any rookie adjusting to the pace of the NFL game. With a year under his belt I expect bigger and better things from Maiava. I found this quote most notable as well... Remember: The guy hunts wild boar with his bare hands. When it comes time to scrap, you want him on your side.

EVAN MOORE
I don't know if Moore counts as 'off the radar' his play last year put him on pretty much every Browns fan's radar. We were worried about putting the bulk of TE responsibilities on his shoulders and our off-season moves have taken that possibility away. If he can improve his blocking skills and learn a thing or two maybe if he's given a shot to play he will again make the most of it and make some big plays for us. I have high hopes for Evan Moore. Without the pressure to perform immediately this season, he should just have to focus on improving his TE play and I think he could still be a potential future starter for us.

[Crow]

Between Vickers, Hillis, Cribbs, Hardesty, and Harrison as options in the running game...damn, it's going to be uphill for Davis.

[Shep]

I'm betting Davis makes the team, along with Hardesty, Harrison, Hillis, and Vickers. The latter two are listed as fullbacks, even if Hillis might be able to do other things.

I think Crayton is better than Stuckey, so it's an upgrade in my book.