Picking No. 1 and No. 2 respectively, the Cleveland Browns and New York Giants seem to be the two logical landing spots for former USC quarterback Sam Darnold in next month’s NFL Draft.
So it stands to reason that both teams would do whatever is possible to understand Darnold and what makes him tick. Prior to attending USC’s Pro Day in Southern California on Wednesday, both squads got a further understanding of Darnold himself by dining with the potential top pick.
USC QB Sam Darnold said on ESPN’s NFL Live that he had dinner Monday night with the Giants, and Tuesday night with the Browns.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 21, 2018
Following the New York Jets’ decision to trade up to No. 3 in the coming draft, it’s now pretty much a foregone conclusion that Cleveland will go quarterback with the first pick. It can no longer sit back and hope the quarterback of its choice is there at four.
On the other hand, the Giants find themselves in a unique position. Barring a trade down, they will be selecting No. 2 overall in Dallas next month. Even with the team having committed to Eli Manning, selecting a quarterback there makes too much sense. Should Cleveland pass up on Darnold for either Josh Rosen or Baker Mayfield, the former Trojan might very well be the pick there.