SHURMUR AND OTHER COACHES AT ALABAMAS PRO DAY

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] are college football's reigning national champions, and were thus loaded with talented individuals during the 2011 season.

The NFL draft will be held on April 26-28.

Put the two factors together and it's no surprise that Alabama's Pro Day -- showing off the team's top NFL prospects -- would be a major drawing card.

The Crimson Tide's Pro Day was held today in Tuscaloosa.

Al.com, the website for several newspapers and Plain Dealer sister publications in Alabama, [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.].

The Cleveland Browns own two first-round picks in the draft -- the fourth and 22nd overall picks. The Browns, who are scheduled to make 13 total picks in the seven-round draft, also own a prime second-rounder at No. 37.
Andrew Gribble writes for AL.com:

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<BLOCKQUOTE sizcache="0" sizset="55">NFL coaches Bill Belichick, Jason Garrett and Pat Shurmur were all in attendance today for Alabama's Pro Day, a second installment that featured plenty of activity from running back [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.], linebacker [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] and safety [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.].

All three players are projected to go in the first round of next month's NFL Draft. Richardson could go as early as fourth to the Cleveland Browns, which, along with Shurmur, had a number of employees eyeing Richardson's every move.

Because of a knee injury, Richardson did not participate in any of the workouts at last month's National Combine in Indianapolis. Today, Richardson participated in all but two exercises and ran through a number of position drills that left him drenched with sweat by noon.

"I was showing everybody I could move on my knee," Richardson said. "I was showing everyone that I'm still myself. I'm ready."</BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE>Gribble writes that official times and measurements for the players' workouts have not yet been made available, although Richardson said he bench pressed 225 pounds 25 times.

"I could have done better," Richardson said.

One of the Browns' primary needs, of course, is at running back. Most draft analysts believe Richardson will be the first RB taken, and many mock drafts project the Browns picking him at No. 4.

Another major need for the Browns is at linebacker. Gribble writes about Upshaw's Pro Day:

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Upshaw, meanwhile, said he was disappointed that he tipped the scales at 279 pounds, six heavier than what he weight at the combine. He was actually trying to lose weight.

"I honestly feel 250. I wanted to weigh in at about 265 or 268," Upshaw said. "That's the only disappointment for the day.

"I felt good when the day was over with.

Barron said he was somewhere between 80 and 90 percent as he continues to recover from bilateral sports hernia surgery. He offered that he ran a 4.51-second 40-yard dash.

"That wasn't what I usually run," Barron said. "For me to be between 80 and 90 percent, that's pretty good. I'll take that." Until the Browns screwed up and let Hillis get away and didnt get the 2nd pick in the upcoming draft for RG3 I wasnt big on drafting Richardson at #4, but it wouldnt have been a bad pick either,I was thinking Clairbourne the CB from LSU or even a wr like Blackmon from Oklahom St but the Browns have put themselves in a corner and have to take Richardson with the 4th pick in Aprils draft, and lets face it, the kid can run north,south, east & west plus he has another big upside and that is the kid can flat out catch the ball as well as see the entire field and not just tunnel vision, its a safe pick and it would be the BEST pick at #4 Those looking at the Texas A&m QB keep looking because back in December he was projected as a 2nd -3rd round pick and I havent seen anything in Tannenhill that has changed that unless the Browns get lucky with a QB after the first couple rounds it looks like they will have to make a move in the 2013 draft for that frachise QB, right now they need to get a RB, OLB, WR and a CB to bookend with Haden because Brown needs to move to saftey, Brown has clearly lost a step and maybe even 2 since the offseason, Oh yea, and Richardson has also been known to block pretty damn well in the backfield, sure that ws college but everyone making the next jump needs to lean a whole new game because everyone is faster and stronger not to mention smarter, Draft Richardson Cleveland, its the right move. ( I still have a feeling the Browns are going to trade down a couple spots for another 2nd round pick so Miami, Seattle or some other team that wants Tannenhill, but they cant drop lower then 6 if they are going to get the guy they NEED.)
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I thought I seen you post you won't take a runningback with knee problems.

I said the knee problems bothers the hell out of me and should be checked out real good before jumping even if it was a ( so they say) simple procedure, but id Richardson is up and running 4.6' 40's it must not be that big a problem after a month, and the Browns put themselves in a corner by letting Hillis walk, and if they would have drafted a real RB and not the human injury project Hardesty they wouldnt be in the corner they are in right now, now if they just want to pass the ball all day long then put someone that can only block in the back field, this team screwed themselves, there will be RB's available in this draft but none that has the talent of Richardson and teams wont be so quick to pin their ears back and come at Dolt McThud all day long with a threat like Richardson able to go the distance.