Seven of the 54 players the Browns brought to last weekend's rookie minicamp as tryout candidates are most certainly glad they came and performed as they did.

Offensive lineman Nate Bennett of Clemson, wide receiver Nate Hughes of Alcorn State, defensive back Milvon James of UNLV, defensive back Damon Jenkins of Fresno State, linebacker Asa Matthews of Northern Colorado, linebacker Xavier Mitchell of Tennessee and running back Austin Scott of Penn State were signed to the Browns' roster after standout performances over the weekend.

Bennett was a four-year starter for the Tigers at guard.

Hughes caught 161 passes for 2,415 yards as a four-year starter for the Braves. Also a return specialist, Hughes led his conference in all purpose yards in 2007, racking up 160.6 yards per game.

James was a two-year starter for the Rebels after transferring from UCLA. He led the nation in pass breakups with 19 in 2007. He joins fellow UNLV alums Eric Wright and Beau Bell on the Browns' defense.

Jenkins totaled 49 tackles and led the Bulldogs with 9 pass breakups as a senior. He totaled 94 tackles in his 38-game college career.

Matthews managed 89 tackles (6.5 for loss), 1.5 sacks, 2 fumble recoveries, and 1 interception in 19 games for the Bears after transferring from Butler Community College. His father, Bo, was drafted by the San Diego Chargers.

Mitchell is an experienced linebacker who appeared in 47 games, including starts in his final 25 games for the Vols. He totaled 109 tackles, 8.5 sacks, 18 tackles for loss, forced 1 fumble and grabbed 1 interception during his career.

Scott managed 16 rushing touchdowns on 290 career carries for 1,323 yards while at Penn State. As a senior, he appeared in the first five games of the season, finishing with 302 yards and 6 touchdowns on 69 carries.

To make room on the roster, the Browns made seven roster cuts, six of which were undrafted free agents signed last week following the draft. The team waived linebacker Jermaine Dias of Virginia, defensive back Jerrid Gaines of Miami (Ohio), defensive back Justin Harrison of Illinois, quarterback Craig Hormann of Columbia, offensive lineman Robert Powell of Purdue and offensive lineman Eric Young of Tennessee. Finally, the club released running back Kory Chapman, who spent five weeks on the team's practice squad last year.