CLEVELAND — Alex Mack prides himself on his University of California education and winning the Draddy Trophy, considered the academic Heisman.

But offensive line coach George Warhop tripped up Mack during a 30- to 40-question test when the center visited Browns headquarters less than two weeks ago.

Warhop explained plays to Mack, distracted him with another interview, then went back to the plays and made Mack fill in X's and O's and show how to block everyone.

"I missed two questions. I forgot the terminology they used on certain blocks," Mack said.

If the Browns' new regime of coach Eric Mangini and General Manager George Kokinis showed a new emphasis in their first draft that concluded Sunday, it was brains over brawn.

For example:

— Mack graduated last May with a degree in legal studies and is taking graduate courses in education.

— Receiver Brian Robiskie, the 36th overall pick (second round) from Ohio State University, was a two-time academic All-American and a 2008 Draddy finalist. He graduated cum laude in December with a degree in marketing and ranked in the top 2 percent of his business class with a GPA over 3.5.

— Receiver Mohamed Massaquoi, the 50th pick (second round) from Georgia, made the Southeastern Conference Academic Honor Roll last year. He graduated in December with a psychology degree.

— Defensive end/outside linebacker David Veikune, the 52nd pick (second round) from Hawaii, earned first-team All-Western Athletic Conference academic honors in 2007 as a sociology major.

— Cornerback Don Carey, the 177th pick (sixth round) from Norfolk State, said he had academic scholarship offers from Yale, Michigan, Colgate and Lehigh, but couldn't afford to go to Yale. His lone football offer came from Norfolk State, where he is four credits shy of a degree in building construction technology, with a minor in architectural drafting.

The education-minded Browns had four picks Sunday, one in the fourth round and three in the sixth. With the fourth (104th overall), they landed undersized USC linebacker Kaluka Maiava, who is barely 6 feet and 228 pounds. Mangini said the one-year starter for the Trojans will play inside, probably on third and fourth down. The two-time co-special teams player of the year at USC will also have a heavy load on those units.

In the sixth round, the Browns tabbed cornerbacks Carey and Coye Francies of San Jose State (pick No. 191). Francies also attended American River Community College (Calif.) and Oregon State, but was dismissed from the latter in August 2007 after being charged with possession of a loaded firearm, a count that was later dismissed. Kokinis liked both for their size — Carey is 5-11; Francies, 6-1.

With their final pick, the 195th overall, the Browns selected Clemson running back James Davis, who split carries with C.J. Spiller the past three seasons but still finished as the Tigers' career leader in rushing touchdowns (47). Davis attended Douglass High School in Atlanta, which also produced his new mentor, Jamal Lewis.

The Browns failed to address their lack of a pass rush and made no trade to solve their quarterback dilemma, as both Brady Quinn and Derek Anderson remain on the roster. Unhappy receiver Braylon Edwards also stayed put, despite trade rumors that dominated the days before the draft.

"Braylon has been in for part of the offseason program. There's no deeper meaning to that," Mangini said. "It is voluntary."

It seems safe to assume that this year's draftees, at least those who were invited to Berea, were subjected to more rigorous tests than those of past Browns regimes. Mack said he'd seen nothing like what Warhop put him through.

"Everybody that comes in, it's a full-day job interview. We're not giving them a tour of the facility and letting them watch the highlight video," Mangini said.

Warhop's test was designed to simulate a normal day, when players attend meetings, have a break, then go to practice.

"We want to see what type of retention there is going to be and how quickly can they pick up new things," Mangini said. "Mack did well, he did really well."

Carey might not have gone through such a grilling. But Kokinis said the scout who worked him out was so impressed by what a "good guy" he was that they added Carey to the list of late-round prospects who received letters from the Browns.

"It congratulated me on having a successful college career and said they thought I would fit in well," Carey said. Two days later, Carey had the letter framed.

Asked whether he knew anything about the Browns' secondary, he said, "No, but before tonight's over, I will have my homework done."

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