The Cleveland Browns would love to land the quarterback of the future in the 2017 NFL Draft, and Deshaun Watson is reportedly a guy they love.
According to Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller, the Browns are enamored with Watson and would love to land him in the first round — just not at No. 1 overall.
“I’ve spoken to multiple scouts, one general manager and even a prominent trainer who have all been told the Browns are enamored with Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson — but not at No. 1 overall. The Browns have two picks in the first round — the first one and then Philadelphia’s pick at No. 12 as part of last year’s Carson Wentz trade,” Miller wrote. “It’s with their second pick in Round 1 that my sources believe the Browns would like to see Watson available.”
One wonders if the Browns will get the chance to land Watson at No. 12, however.
Like last year when they missed out on the chance to land Carson Wentz at No. 2 overall, it seems risky to let a potential franchise passer fall to someone else. Especially considering the San Francisco 49ers, Chicago Bears and New York Jets all need a quarterback and pick well before the Browns’ second pick at No. 12 overall.
Of course, the biggest reason the Browns might be willing to let Watson slide is that they are in love with Texas A&M pass rusher Myles Garrett at No. 1 overall. And nobody can blame them for wanting to add him to their defensive front — a unit that acquired linebacker Jamie Collins during this past season.
Still, if the Browns are truly enamored with Watson, then it’s a good bet there are other teams that feel the same way about him (hint: there are).
A guy who has some red flags on the field (inconsistent accuracy, dodgy pocket awareness/presence and stares down receivers), he also has some huge positives. Not only has he played extremely well in the biggest games of the year against the nation’s top defense two years in a row, but Watson possesses excellent dual-threat abilities and throws one of the prettiest deep balls this scribe has seen in a long time.
He also has a huge chip on his shoulder and will fight to prove his worth.
If Cleveland were to strike out on Watson by letting him slide to another team, it would mark the second year in a row for Hue Jackson and Co. in which they let a potential franchise savior fall to another team. That wouldn’t bode well for Jackson’s future in Cleveland, or for the factory of sadness itself.