There is a big difference between age and maturity, but the character that comes with maturity does take some time to ferment. Brandon Weeden may be the oldest first round pick in NFL history, but the Browns are banking on him to be ready to be their starter in 2012.
“I feel like I’m ready,” Weeden said. “If I’m asked to be the guy [on] day one, I’m going to do everything on my part to put our team in position to win games and score points. I’m really anxious to get going and the season will be here before you know it.”
Weeden was closely watching the rookie quarterback class of 2011 very closely. The old model of letting a quarterback sit and learn for a couple of years is a luxury that few NFL teams have.
“You see guys like Andy Dalton and Cam Newton and Christian Ponder that came in, these guys played relatively soon,” Weeden said. “That’s what I mentioned to teams the entire time, that my maturity in baseball will help.”
Weeden has a unique ability as a rookie to play the maturity card. Although last year’s starter, Colt McCoy, is entering his third season in the NFL, Weeden is actually three years older than McCoy. (He’s two months older than Aaron Rodgers, too.) So while some might see his age as a deficit, his maturity is definitely an advantage and getting an NFL-ready quarterback at age 28 isn’t all that bad.
Weeden is going to have one familiar target in camp, too. The Browns signed Oklahoma State wide receiver Josh Cooper as an undrafted free agent. Cooper was second to Justin Blackmon last season at OSU with 71 catches for 715 yards. The familiarity is a big plus for Weeden.
“We came in the same year and he’s a guy that’s made a lot of big-time plays for us at Oklahoma State,” said Weeden. “Josh is actually going to live with me, so we’ll be able to help each other learn this entire system and get through this entire process.”
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Pro Player Insider got the chance to catch up with Weeden during the draft, and get to know him a little better on the personal side. Below are the answers to our High Five questions – some of Weeden’s personal favorites:
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Q: Five Favorite foods:
- Pizza
- Hard crispy tacos
- Sushi
- Filet Minion
- Mash Potatoes
Q: Top 5 songs right now?
- Jay Z & Kanye – Ni&&as in Paris
- Timeflies – Until The Sunrise
- Jake Owen – You Look So Good In Love
- and A few other Country songs….
Q: 5 Players you would like to play with or against?
- Reggie Smith
- Peyton Manning
- Tom Brady
- Justin Blackmon
- Aaron Rodgers
Q: What do you like to do outside of football:
- Hang out with my wife
- Play golf
- Shoot hoops
- Traveling
- Hanging out with friends
Follow Melissa on twitter @melissa_PPI
