Jamarcus Russell No. 1, Calvin Johnson No. 2, Brady Quinn … No. 22? NFL fans were shocked when Cleveland passed on Quinn the first time around. Well, I was at least. After the Brownies made their first pick, Joe Thomas, I left for work wondering who would pick up Quinn. Television-less at work, I watched NFL Draft Tracker on my computer as the Notre Dame quarterback dropped farther down the list.

Little did I know what the Browns were about to set in motion. At No. 22, Dallas traded to Cleveland, in exchange for the 36th overall pick this year and the Browns’ No. 1 pick in 2008. Brady Quinn became a Brownie at No. 22, and my heart skipped. And the kicker of it all? I’m not even a Browns fan.

So why do I love Brady Quinn? Easy. He’s the all-American boy next door, and he’s on everyone’s list of favorites. The first time I saw Brady (we’re on a first name basis) on TV was during an interview on ESPN, and he was incredibly eloquent. He came off as humble, which he may or may not be. Smart, a neat-freak, excellent football player … what more can you ask for? From then on, I said I would follow that good-looking kid wherever he went.

Brady Quinn is the next Tom Brady. No, not just because of the name thing. Both have talent. Charisma. Charm. Caress. Every woman wants him. Every man wants to be him. Every coach wants him on his roster. Regardless of his being the 22nd pick, he is a No. 1 catch. Just because certain teams didn’t need quarterbacks at the moment shouldn’t shatter his appeal.

He is ideal. A quarterback should be well-spoken and be able to lead a team. Can Charlie Frye walk into a room and get a standing ovation from people who aren’t even Browns fans? I think not. Quinn can.

The Browns were lucky to catch Quinn when they did. A franchise quarterback was a much-needed snatch for the brown and orange. With a flashy quarterback and a new offensive tackle, the Brownies could just make it to the playoffs this year. AFC Champions? Maybe, unless the Steelers pack heat. Regardless, September 9 is going to be a fine day for Pittsburgh and Cleveland. Finally the two can say they are actually rivals, and not just black and gold beating up on brown and orange. Finally, a decent battle in the AFC. It’ll be a show, that’s for sure; and Quinn will be the star, passing up Ben Roethlisberger and his long-passed Super Bowl victory.

Columns represent the views of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of The Post.