How the NBA could reduce games and not lose money
March 21, 2017Kevin Kleps of Crain’s Cleveland Business
March 21, 2017Colin Kaepernick and Jay Cutler still scour theladders.com in hopes of finding new employment, but as even the Josh McCown’s of the NFL world are finding new homes, the impact portion of free agency is petering out. With the NFL Combine in the rearview mirror, and assorted pro days dotting the landscape through the NFL Draft, the prospects are also finding time is short to further impress or depress their draft stock.
As such, a littany of new mock drafts have popped up to account for any recent changes. NFL.com decided to have each of their main four writers run their new mocks side-by-side to demonstrate what is believed to be known versus what is pure speculation at this point in the process. Bucky Brooks, Daniel Jeremiah, Charlie Casserly, and Chad Reuter each have differing opinions on many items as it pertains to the 2017 NFL Draft, but it is more interesting in where they are aligned in thought.
Here is how they see the Cleveland Browns attacking the draft.
No. 1 overall selection
Brooks: DE Myles Garrett, Texas A&M
Jeremiah: DE Myles Garrett, Texas A&M
Casserly: DE Myles Garrett, Texas A&M
Reuter: DE Myles Garrett, Texas A&M
The Browns are not hiding their obvious intention to draft Myles Garrett with the first overall pick. They have not stated such publicly, but there are enough sourced reports to fully believe only a scandal with Garrett could cause a different selection. As noted before at WFNY, Garrett is as clean a prospect off the field as he is on it.
https://twitter.com/DaBigEasy24/status/843563439494746112
https://twitter.com/colecubelic/status/840245333607211010
No. 12 overall selection
Brooks: TE O.J. Howard, Alabama
Jeremiah: TE O.J. Howard, Alabama
Casserly: QB Mitchell Trubisky, North Carolina
Reuter: QB Deshaun Watson, Clemson
Both Casserly and Reuter have the Browns being able to select any quarterback they wish. Reuter is not concerned about Watson’s lack of velocity on this throws, while Casserly must believe Trubisky matches the prototypical Hue Jackson quarterback best.
Brooks and Jeremiah believe the Browns will bypass the potential in quarterbacks available to target the player who might be the most intriguing offensive weapon in the draft. Howard did not put up huge numbers at Alabama, but he demonstrated his outright skill in the National Championship game against Clemson and increased his draft stock at the Senior Bowl. He has the potential of being a great blocker and receiver at the position, which is a difficult one to find, and the last time the Browns took a tight end from the Crimson Tide, it worked out well enough.
OJ Howard has really grown on me as a blocker! He is a complete TE, early first round TALENT in my opinion! @TheRealOjHoward #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/hTk03mDcmC
— Fantasy Evaluator (@FFEvaluator) March 4, 2017
Other notes of interest:
As has become more commonplace as of late, none of the analysts have Patrick Mahomes III being selected in the first round. If it plays out that way, then it would be possible to get him a weapon at No. 12 in Howard (or a safety or a cornerback), then take a quarterback at No. 33. In fact, only Casserly has DeShone Kizer being selected in the first round though all four have Trubisky and Watson being taken. There would be some tense moments as there are multiple teams in the 20s who could take a signal caller, and there are multiple teams who could jump back into the first round to do so too.
The strategy is as intriguing as it is risky.
56 Comments
I heard the 22nd pick is for sale…
I’m ok with Howard at 12. He’s on my short list of guys after the top tier of MG, Allen, Adams, Hooker, Thomas, Lattimore. But I’d only be ok with taking Howard over any QB if Hue/HBT know we are getting our QB at some point.
#1… nailed it
#12… not so fast
#33…hold that thought
#52…wait, no! stop, Jeez slow down a second.
Each of the 4 drafts have Garrett, Allen, Adams, Hooker, Lattimore gone by 12. The only other player I have in that top tier is Solomon Thomas, who is gone in all except Casserly’s. If Thomas can play 3tech like another undersized DT I had no interest in, Mr. Aaron Donald, I say he’s the pick. The guy is a bull and is only a few pounds less than Donald. And if he’s between area 55 and Myles Garrett, he will likely be a wrecking crew.
If all those guys are gone, I’d either go QB of choice or trade down. While I’d be OK with Howard, I think we’d get better value with the Mgbode plan of trading down and adding another 2. The value is this draft is the top 80 players. Continue to add as many of them as possible unless we have a shot at one of the top tier guys. AND add a QB
Not too much to ask for huh?
hi JAKER … i have now come to the conclusion that the TE talent is really really deep in this draft … i think Trubisky will be our pick at #12 … of course i’ll be changing my mind at least 10 more times before the draft.
Which is why I wish the Texans pick we got was in this year’s draft. So much talent but I don’t think we can possibly get Garrett, a future franchise QB AND starters at S/TE/CB/DT/WR. We need to get one more Day 2 pick, and a trade down from 12 is the best way to do it (or use 2018 draft ammo)
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