Normally I don’t trust draft reports but no one is more plugged into the Cleveland Browns than Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. The Cleveland Browns start the 2018 NFL Draft holding the first overall pick for the second consecutive year. The Browns are the ultimate dumpster fire franchise in the NFL and went 0-16 this past year. Some teams just will never seem to learn. The latest report coming out of the Browns organization is that they are deciding between Josh Allen and Baker Mayfield.
The following is from Mary Kay Cabot:
“The Browns have given strong consideration to all of the four top quarterbacks in the draft — Allen, Mayfield, Sam Darnold and Josh Rosen — but the choices seem to be narrowing to the cannon-armed passer from Wyoming and the Heisman Trophy winner from Oklahoma, the sources say.
Many experts still believe the Browns will draft Sam Darnold Thursday night, but sources say the Browns have cooled on the USC passer in recent days and that Allen and Mayfield have surpassed him.”
Apparently, Hue Jackson and the coaching staff are not high on Sam Darnold. The USC passer is my top-rated passer so it’s no surprise that the Browns don’t like him. If a team passes on Carson Wentz and Deshaun Watson, chances are Darnold is just waiting to be that good. Hue Jackson is super into the analytics so it’s possible he wants Baker Mayfield because he has the top-rated PFF grade of any quarterback. However, using analytics to draft a quarterback is very dumb. Remember when the Browns pointed to the analytics to draft Cody Kessler because he was the top analytical guy? If the Browns take Mayfield, how can I not compare him to Manziel at that point?
John Dorsey, the gm, loves measurables. He took Pat Mahomes last year who is a total wildcard. Allen isn’t much different. Regardless of who they take, the Browns will find a way to butcher this thing anyway.
