Director of College Scouting Steve Malin:
On S Sheldrick Redwine:
"We are excited to add him to be a new addition to the organization. He was a local kid from Miami and played at the University of Miami. He was a two-and-a-half year starter, came into the University of Miami as a corner and then converted over to safety. Just like we said, it is a great opportunity. This is where the scouting department makes a football team – [second and third] day of the draft."
On if Redwine is more of a fit at SS or FS:
"The one thing about Sheldrick is he gives you flexibility. He can play high or low. There is some flexibility and scheme of what we can do with him."
On benefits of versatile players in coverage:
"The game is a coverage game. You have to have physicality, but you also have to be able to have guys that can cover. We feel like he gives us the flexibility to do that stuff. He has a physical presence but also he has good ball skills and can play in coverage for us."
On if Redwine played special teams at Miami:
"Anything that we do as a staff and as a personnel department, we always create a vision for a player. In this case, we feel like he can come in and create competition at the safety position. He has versatility. He can play free or strong for us and play the big nickel, but also I think it is important as you build a championship team that you take into consideration that they have special teams value. I think that is very important."
On the team's interaction with Redwine:
"We just got off the phone with him and let him know that we had selected him. We have our personnel department, and we have a couple guys – (Vice Player of Player Personnel) Alonzo (Highsmith), (Assistant Director of Scouting) Glenn Cook and (Assistant General Manager) Eliot (Wolf) – they obviously have connections down in Miami so there is a lot of familiarity with him in our organization."
On if Redwine made a 30 visit:
"No, we didn't bring him for a visit."
On if Redwine has higher upside because he used to play CB:
"Anytime you have a corner that has that type of experience that converts over to safety, obviously, it gives you the flexibility for coverage. It could be a match-up situation on the inside slot or it could be a tight end, but obviously, that is a positive."
On keys top identifying players on Draft Day 3:
"Traits. Traits. When you are building your 53 man roster, you are looking for positive traits that can help you build a championship team. This is where you make your roster. This is where you make the biggest impact of the draft is the second and third day where you build quality and the midlevel of your roster. "
On writing and preparing his scouting reports:
"There are different stages. Right now, we are in Stage 5, which is the draft. There are four [additional] stages obviously. Everything is important in the process of our department. Extensive video evaluation, and obviously, we put the personnel and the troops on the ground to go evaluate the players."
On LB Sione Takitaki:
"Takitaki is a tough son of a gun. I'm excited about having Takitaki because of his physical presence and what he brings to this organization. Obviously, there is a lot of exposure that all of us in the personnel department got on all these players."
On Takitaki's additional traits:
"He is intelligent. Comes from a good program. He has some leadership traits. Those are important factors in what we look for in the athletes. There are a lot of variables that go into the process, but obviously, we felt really high about Taki and his presence and what he brings to a defense."
On selecting Takitaki when projections may have had him going later in the draft:
"If you like somebody, go get them. It is really what it is, and we felt comfortable with him. Regardless, we feel like he can come in and make an impact for our football team and compete."
On Redwine saying he likes to hit:
"You are looking for dogs. You are looking for alphas on defense. Obviously, you can see what we are trying to do is we are trying to build a championship team. All of us have come from winning organizations from Green Bay to New York to New Orleans and Seattle with (General Manager) John (Dorsey) in Kansas City. We understand what it takes, and it takes a special person to get you over the hump."
On talking with coordinators about players and skillsets that fit their scheme:
"You communicate with everyone with the organization on both sides of the personnel and coaching side. We are going to draft and develop players. Our coaching staff is a big part of that in the development stage and playing them."
On the Browns' first three picks being defensive players:
"Usually historically, two thirds of the draft is offensive personnel and a third is defensive personnel, but for some reason this year, it kind of flipped. There was more defensive personnel that was available, and you kind of see that with how things have unfolded. The board just comes apart, comes down in pieces and layers and it is amazing to sit there and watch how things come to you. You have to be patient, you have to exercise caution but you also have to be aggressive when you need somebody."
On if there are certain traits across the three defensive players taken, specifically as it relates to looking for 'dogs and alphas':
"Absolutely. It sure does. It is a DNA. It is a DNA. Plain and simple, you are just looking for guys that love the game, that are passionate about the game. That is the ingredients for success."
On working with Dorsey and his traits:
"Very diligent. Very thorough. Very detailed. Demanding. Perfectionist. All of those descriptive adjectives, that is what I deal with on a daily basis with him. He is outstanding to work for. You learn a lot. You just kind of just sit back and you learn. We obviously come from different organizations, but there is one common thread that we are looking for and that is winning."
On if Redwine and S Eric Murray are competing for similar roles:
"At this point, let's let the chips fall where they are and let them compete."
On if the Browns are focused on improving the physicality of the defense:
"We want to be a championship caliber organization and football team. We want to put the best 53 guys on the roster and out on the football field, and that gives us the best chance to win. That is what we are here for is to win championships. Our goal is to obviously win the division, then get into the playoffs and bring the Lombardi Trophy back home."
On Redwine's primary position at Miami:
"He played free. He played free safety, but he has versatility because he has played in the slot and the nickel, also."
On conversations between the personnel department and coaching staff regarding players fitting into scheme:
"We work with the coaches on that. Obviously, you have experienced personnel people that understand schemes and what we are looking for. Criteria, we sit down with the coaching staff. Obviously, we sat down with (Head Coach) Freddie (Kitchens) and his staff when they were all in place, sat down and really went into detail and discussion of what they are looking for. It did not change the way that we went and evaluated players, but it kind of gave us a better idea of guys that fit our scheme. Are they a four-down or a three-down? Are they a sub (package) player? Are they a nickel player? Are they a base down? There are so many factors that go into a process of evaluating players."
On working with Kitchens:
"Outstanding. Outstanding."
On what is discussed with Kitchens:
"They are in the trenches. They understand that the game is evolution. It is always constantly changing. When you have the little slot guys and then the next year you have big slot guys, the game is constantly changing. You have to be able to adapt with the game."
On if the personnel staff was aware that this year's draft class would have a higher number of defensive prospects:
"Yes, sir."
On if the staff took into account the draft class' strengths in all phases of the offseason:
"I think any good organization has an idea of future and upcoming drafts to prepare for that. To answer your question, yes. There was some thought into that. We are sitting back and we are looking at the draft, the free agency and making decisions of where the resources need to be allocated."
