The rookie minicamp is over for the Browns, and head coach Romeo Crennel likes what he sees in linebacker Beau Bell, the team's top pick in the 2008 draft. Crennel just wants to see a little more before reaching any conclusions.

"Beau has some movement skills," Crennel said. "You can see him get to the ball. But everybody looks good in shorts. We're going to have to get the pads on (in training camp) because linebackers have to hit."

Hitting is what Bell does best. In fact, general manager Phil Savage used the word 'hammer' to describe him. Bell says he is physical but under control. If he is, he won't overrun the play and be exposed by a cutback runner.

Though Bell is an active, physical player, he is not a boastful one. And though the Browns top picks each of the last two years became immediate starters, Bell is not predicting the same success for himself. A difference, of course, is linebacker Kamerion Wimbley was picked 13th overall in 2006 and left tackle Joe Thomas was picked third overall in 2007.

"Coming in, I don't have that mentality," Bell said. "What I'm telling myself is I'm going to the best I can to make this team and contribute to the team's win. I'm willing to contribute any way, shape or form."

Savage said he 'would be shocked' if Bell is not on the field on at least the kick coverage unit for the first game. It could be more than that if Bell does enough in training camp to unseat veteran Andra Davis.

For what it's worth, the Browns projected Bell as a second-round pick after extensive interviews with him and his coaches at UNLV. Bell has a learning disability, and that plus suffering a bruised knee in practice at the Senior Bowl might account for him not being picked until 103 players had already been drafted.

Still, these numbers are difficult to ignore, even if Bell did chalk them up at UNLV in the Mountain West Conference: 126 tackles, 9.5 tackles for losses, five forced fumbles and four interceptions. He made 86 tackles in run force, and on those plays, opponents averaged 3.63 yards a play. That doesn't seem like anything special, but consider he was the one player on the UNLV defense opponents had to worry about; the Rebels were 2-10 last season.

The Browns gave up an average of 129.5 yards rushing a game last year. Just because Bell tackles forcefully doesn't mean that number will diminish. For now, Davis and D'Qwell Jackson are the starting inside linebackers. Leon Williams is third in line, and when all is said and done in training camp the starters could be Williams and Jackson.

And whether Bell can deliver bone-jarring tackles is really secondary to Crennel. The Browns once had a safety who hit hard -- Robert Griffith. But he sometimes missed the tackle lining up a hard hit.

Crennel said the Browns need good players when asked if he is looking for a forceful linebacker, which is a typical answer from the Browns head coach.

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