April 27, 2004

Charleston, SC - Lew Dawson's phone rang several times during the NFL draft over the weekend.

It was never the call he was hoping for. But it was enough to make the former Cit-adel standout confident that something good would happen.

That happened Sunday night, when Dawson accepted a free-agent offer from the Cleveland Browns. The 6-5, 315-pound offensive tackle will participate in a three-day mini-camp starting Thursday in Cleveland, where he will sign his free-agent contract.

"It is every player's dream to be drafted," said Dawson, who was a first-team all-Southern Conference pick last season. "A couple of teams called me and maybe led me to believe that I might be drafted. But I knew I would end up somewhere, and I was happy with that."

Dawson was rated the 37th-best tackle available according to one scouting service, and 26 tackles were selected in the seven rounds of the draft Saturday and Sunday. Scouts from 18 NFL teams came to watch Dawson on his workout day at The Citadel, and he also had worked out for the Baltimore Ravens. As the draft wound down Sunday, Dawson said he heard from seven or eight teams making free-agent offers. He and his agent decided the Browns offered the best situation.

"The Browns had been talking to me quite a bit, and they called on Friday before the draft to make sure I knew they were interested," Dawson said. "A lot of things went into it. My agent and I looked at the overall situation, like how many linemen the teams had drafted and what their depth chart was like.

"Cleveland was one of the best situations of the teams that called, and I had built a relationship with a couple of people there," he said. "I feel like I won't be just a face in the crowd there. They will actually know who I am."

The Browns drafted only one offensive tackle in their six picks -- 6-7, 313-pound Kirk Chambers of Stanford, a four-year starter who is 25 years old. Chambers was drafted in the sixth round, the 176th pick overall. He was rated 21st among tackles by the same service that rated Dawson No. 37.

Dawson arrived at The Citadel four years ago from Fayetteville, N.C., weighing about 330 pounds. He worked himself down to about 265 or 270 before building himself up to his current 315. He said the Browns have asked him if he can play at about 330 pounds.

"I'm a lot different player now," he said. "I'm bigger, more developed, faster, stronger, more agile."

Dawson was timed in 5.2 seconds in the 40-yard dash. One scouting service said, "Dawson's frame gives him the advantage of improving on the natural strength he already possesses. Must learn to play with leverage and work harder to stick in the NFL."

Dawson said he hopes to make the Browns as a backup or a practice squad player. He said that NFL practice squads have been expanded by two additional players this year.

"The practice squad would be nice," he said. "But I'd rather make the team as a backup and get a chance to get some experience playing."

New Citadel head coach John Zernhelt was Dawson's line coach last season.

"This is a great accomplishment for Lew," he said. "He was our most valuable player on the line and it is great to see all of his hard work earn him a chance in the NFL."

-- Citadel receiver Scooter Johnson and punter Travis Zobel also are receiving interest from NFL teams as undrafted free agents ... Former Citadel defensive end Cliff Washburn, assigned by Chicago to Amsterdam of NFL Europe, suffered a knee injury and has not yet played for the Admirals. He has been in Birmingham, Ala., rehabbing his knee and should return to Amsterdam soon.