BEREA, Ohio (AP) -As he waited for the phone to ring, Colt McCoy tossed around a football in the yard with his brothers to pass the time.
Hours ticked by. McCoy, the winningest quarterback in NCAA history, began losing hope.
Finally, a call. The Cleveland Browns were on the line. They wanted him.
“My heart skipped a beat,” McCoy said.
After two long days, the Texas quarterback, whose size may have scared off some teams, was selected in the third round of the NFL draft on Friday by the QB-challenged Browns, who held off until the No. 85 pick before finally pulling the trigger and taking McCoy.
One wait for him is over. Another has just begun.
The Browns have spent the past decade searching for a quarterback to take them to their first Super Bowl. McCoy won’t be expected to do that right away, but guided by new Browns president and QB guru Mike Holmgren, McCoy could be the solution to a troublesome position.
The Browns have had eight different opening-week quarterbacks since their 1999 expansion return.
he last two days have been pretty long, but at the same time, I am where I am supposed to be and that is Cleveland,” McCoy said. “I couldn’t be more excited. From the time I left Cleveland I called my folks and I said that I would love to be a Cleveland Brown.
“It’s a dream come true.”
Holmgren never thought McCoy would still be available when the Browns’ turn came up again in the third round. They had passed up two previous chances to take him.
“It was something I really wanted to do,” Holmgren said, adding that he pushed coach Eric Mangini and general manager Tom Heckert to take McCoy. “If it happened, it happened. Sometimes it just kind of falls to you.”
The Browns have spent the offseason reshaping the quarterback position, which has been an almost constant headache for more than a decade. Since last season, they’ve traded Brady Quinn, released Derek Anderson, acquired Seneca Wallace and signed free agent Jake Delhomme.
Now, they’ve added McCoy, who was drafted after fellow college QB stars Sam Bradford, Tim Tebow and Jimmy Clausen were chosen. He also went one pick after Jordan Shipley, his former Texas teammate and close friend was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals.
McCoy will likely sit behind Delhomme until he’s ready. That probably won’t be for at least two seasons.
And that’s OK with McCoy.
k my tail off and do exactly what the team needs me to do,” McCoy said. “That’s what I have done my whole career. When my name is called, then I am going to go out there and produce and be the best. That’s how I was raised and that’s how I’ve been coached. I’m fired up and I can’t wait to get there.”
In four years at Texas, McCoy passed for 13,253 yards and 112 touchdowns, both school records. He went 45-8 as a starter and was a finalist for the Heisman Trophy as a junior and senior.
“We love his leadership. We love his track record,” Holmgren said. “He runs well. He’s intelligent. He’s fiery. He’s everything you look for in the position.”
Earlier, the Browns made their secondary a primary priority.
With speculation swirling that they would take McCoy or Clausen, the Browns chose Oregon safety T.J. Ward with the No. 38 overall pick. Ward, who walked on with the Ducks, is a hard hitter who could immediately move into Cleveland’s starting lineup.
The 5-foot-10, 211-pounder was the second defensive back selected by the Browns, who took Florida cornerback Joe Haden in the first round Thursday.
“He’s just a super-tough kid, who makes a lot of plays in the run game,” Heckert said.
the Browns recorded just 10 interceptions, second-fewest in the AFC.
Although McCoy was still available, the Browns traded back into the second round and selected Tennessee running back Montario Hardesty with the No. 59 pick. Cleveland dealt one of its three third-round picks – No. 71 – and two fifth-rounders – Nos. 134 and 146 – to Philadelphia to grab Hardesty, a bruising inside runner with his own bruises.
Hardesty, who gained 1,345 yards and scored 12 touchdowns for the Volunteers last season, had history of injuries at Tennessee.
He was granted a medical hardship after undergoing multiple surgeries on his right knee as a freshman. The following season, he missed time with ankle problems and then was limited as a junior because of a foot stress fracture.
Still, the Browns are confident Hardesty is fit to play.
“That’s why we have doctors and trainers,” Heckert said. “They feel comfortable with his health.”
Hardesty said he hasn’t missed a game in the past three years because of injuries. He’s coming to Cleveland with big goals.
“I want to be a star, man,” he said.
Ward was overwhelmed to see Hall of Famer Jim Brown get introduced by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and then step forward and announce the team’s selection.
“To hear him say my name was pretty wonderful,” Ward said on a conference call. “I’m at a loss for words right now. I’ve been waiting for this moment for all my life.”
With the No. 92 pick, the Browns took Arizona State offensive lineman Shawn Lauvao.
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