Men of Character

Carlton Mitchell
Colt McCoy

While the combination of sheer size and speed of sixth round draft pick receiver Carlton Mitchell will provide the Cleveland Browns with a promising target for third round draft pick quarterback Colt McCoy, there still remains one prominent trait that both players bring to the team that far outweighs the rest. This trait is their consistent character demonstrated both on and off the football field.

In my last blog post, I shared a NY Times article that expressed the proven character of Carlton Mitchell and noted that Carlton and I both attended Gaither high school in Tampa, Fla. and were members of the track team.

In addition, Colt McCoy has also been noted for his proven character, perhaps most notably when he was selected as a 2009 finalist for the John Wooden Citizenship Cup, Athletes For A Better World.

The Wooden Cup is named in honor of John Wooden, one of the most successful coaches in collegiate history. Wooden's legacy as a person of integrity, high moral character, compassion, and civic-mindedness continues to make him one of the most admired coaches in the history of sport.

Recipients of the Coach Wooden Citizenship Cup are chosen by a committee chaired by Vincent Dooley, former University of Georgia athletic director, and other distinguished individuals involved in athletics across the country.

I myself was honored as a semi-finalist for the 2009 John Wooden Citizenship Cup, Athletes For A Better World. I take pride (personal responsibility in delivering excellence) that I too posses the prominent trait of having consistent character.

To see Carlton and Colt join the NFL with the Cleveland Browns is incredible. I believe that their consistent character will take them a long way not just for their football careers, but also for the rest of their lives. I expect to see them pave the way in building up more men of character in the NFL for years to come.