The Cleveland Browns may not have decided yet what they are going to do with the No. 1 overall pick in the upcoming NFL Draft, but head coach Hue Jackson reportedly knows which way he wants to go.
According to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com, Jackson wants to draft former Texas A&M star Myles Garrett with the first overall pick, despite some recent reports claiming the coach is high on quarterback Mitch Trubisky. Cabot notes that Jackson wants a player who is guaranteed to be a game-changer, and almost every scout and analyst believes Garrett will be that guy.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported earlier in the week that the Browns are “split” on what to do with the No. 1 pick, so who wants to go with a QB? Cabot says that could be coming from the team’s analytics-driven front office.
The Browns are already taking major heat for passing on Carson Wentz at No. 2 last year, and likely don’t want to miss out on a potential franchise quarterback again. Can Trubisky be that guy? Perhaps. But I’ve talked to several talent evaluators who are skittish about those 13 starts and his ability to process NFL defenses, and complex offenses right away.
No one would fault the Browns if Garrett doesn’t live up to expectations, but if they blow it on Trubisky, heads will roll before long and the coach is usually the first to go.
We keep hearing how there are is no QB in the 2017 draft class that is ready to start in the NFL right away, and Jackson’s job could be in danger if the Browns have another disastrous season. It would make far more sense for him to favor drafting a player like Garrett, who should be a force from Week 1 on.
There have also been rumblings that the Browns are looking at a couple of other players with the top overall pick, but that seems more like a smokescreen. It’d still be a surprise if they didn’t pick Garrett, but it’d be even more of a shock if they went with someone other than Garrett or Trubisky.
