Browns 1st round pick jinx

Since returning to the NFL in 1999 as an expansion team, the Browns have had more than their share of misfortune with first-round picks.

Quarterback Tim Couch, picked No. 1 overall in 1999, was battered and bruised in three lackluster seasons. Injuries to his hand and throwing arm contributed to his demise.

Defensive end Courtney Brown, the No. 2 choice overall in 2000, never got into a groove because of a series of leg injuries. Then came running back William Green, who was in scrapes with the law and was stabbed by his fiance. A few years later, tight end Kellen Winslow Jr., missed an entire season after a motorcycle crash.

Last year’s top choice, defensive lineman Phil Taylor, is currently recovering from surgery for a torn pectoral muscle and won’t be available until midseason.