Browns Select Myles Garrett With No. 1 Pick
After what was reportedly ample internal debate, the Browns have officially selected Texas A&M edge rusher Myles Garrett with the No. 1 overall pick.
Garrett had been the consensus top prospect in the 2017 draft for some time, as nearly every draft board listed the Aggie pass rusher atop the list. Both of PFR’s mock drafts projected Garrett to Cleveland, as did most of the draft community, but the Browns’ need for a franchise quarterback seemingly invaded the club’s recent thinking. Cleveland’s front office was reportedly also considering North Carolina quarterback Mitch Trubisky with the first overall selection — perhaps at the behest of owner Jimmy Haslam — and may still trade up from pick No. 12 in order to secure the signal-caller.
Instead of opting for a passer, however, the Browns have selected Garrett, who’s viewed as an eminently safe pick with the upside of one of the NFL’s best defenders. Cleveland had placed an “astronomical grade” on Garrett during the 2016 collegiate football season, and was subsequently “blown away” by Garrett’s combine performance: he weighed in at 272 pounds, ran the 40-yard dash in 4.64 seconds, and posted 33 bench press reps.
Garrett boasts the measurables of a No. 1 overall pick, and his statistical production at Texas A&M was also eye-popping. In three seasons in College Station, Garrett posted 31 sacks and 47 tackles for loss (even while dealing with injuries during his final year with the Aggies). He also graded as a top-three edge defender during all three of his collegiate campaigns, according to Pro Football Focus.
The Browns can use that type of performance, as they ranked just 30th in sacks and 23rd in adjusted sack percentage in 2016. Garrett immediately becomes the best pass-rusher on the Cleveland defense, which saw rookie Emmanuel Ogbah lead the club with six sacks last season. Garrett will now line up in a Browns front seven that also includes Jamie Collins, Demario Davis, Desmond Bryant, Danny Shelton, Carl Nassib, and Ogbah.
Photo courtesy of Pro Football Rumors on Instagram.
Browns Eyeing TE Evan Engram?
- In a bit of a surprise, Ole Miss tight end Evan Engram is making a push to sneak into the first round, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). That could lead to three tight ends being taken in the first round between Alabama’s O.J. Howard, Miami’s David Njoku, and Engram. The Giants, Falcons, and Browns are among the potential fits for him in the No. 23-33 area, Pelissero tweets.
Browns To Select Myles Garrett No. 1 Overall
Texas A&M defensive end Myles Garrett will be the Browns No. 1 pick, multiple league sources tell Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. Meanwhile, someone in the know tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link) that the top pick will be someone “who is clearly, clearly better than anyone else.” With all due respect to UNC quarterback Mitch Trubisky, that’s another strong indication that the pick will be Garrett. 
[RELATED: Follow Pro Football Rumors On Instagram]
In recent days, there were some whispers that Trubisky might be the No.1 pick by Cleveland. Cabot hears that team brass met this afternoon to solidify the decision, which would indicate that there was some debate over the best course of action. For what it’s worth, top executive Sashi Brown recently said that the team’s decision was made roughly two weeks ago, so it’s hard to know what to believe. Regardless, Garrett appears poised to be the top pick.
The Browns are apparently taking the best player available at No. 1, but it’s still wide open after that.
Latest On Browns’ Draft Plans
Will Myles Garrett or Mitch Trubisky be the first player off the board? Right now, Garrett remains the “likely” No. 1 overall pick for the Browns, Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com writes. Meanwhile, the Browns continue to try and work their way up to the top eight, presumably to draft Trubisky, Cabot hears. 
On Wednesday, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com became the latest insider to report that Trubisky is a very real possibility for the No. 1 overall pick. At this point, it’s hard to get a grip on exactly what is going on. Last year, the Rams were reportedly encouraged by the league office to shroud their selection of Jared Goff in secrecy, and we could be seeing something similar play out with the Browns. Alternatively, this could be some gamesmanship on the part of the Browns to throw everyone’s draft board into flux.
What we do know is that the Browns are exploring all possibilities for the draft as a whole. The Browns have contacted roughly 27 teams with interest in moving up or down, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. With the No. 1, No. 12, No. 33 and No. 52 overall picks (plus many more), the Browns are strategizing for all possibilities.
Latest On Browns’ First-Round Picks
Cleveland has reportedly had discussions with multiple teams about trading up from the 12th overall pick in the draft, but the club also seems to have interest in moving down. The Browns called teams below them on Wednesday to ask if any would be interested in acquiring the 12th selection, reports Michael Lombardi of The Ringer (Twitter links).
The 12th choice is the Browns’ second, of course, after the No. 1 overall pick. They’re “locked in” at the top spot, notes Lombardi, though it’s still not clear whether they’ll take Texas A&M pass rusher Myles Garrett or North Carolina quarterback/Ohio native Mitch Trubisky. This is only speculation, but the fact that the Browns would consider moving down from No. 12 could be a sign that they’re leaning toward Trubisky, who seems unlikely to be available when they’re on the clock for the second time in Round 1. Notably, the organization’s Trubisky fans – perhaps including owner Jimmy Haslam – fear he won’t fall to 12.
Ultimately, the Browns probably will make Garrett the No. 1 overall selection, according to Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com, but ESPN’s Adam Schefter isn’t as confident. Trubisky is “square in consideration,” per Schefter, and “very smart, very well-connected people” have told him that the Tar Heel will be the first pick on Thursday (via Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk).
Photo via Pro Football Rumors’ Instagram account.
Browns Talking Move Up With Clubs In Top-8
The Browns have discussed the concept of trading up from No. 12 into the top eight picks with three clubs, according to Mike Silver of NFL.com (Twitter link).
A number of teams are reportedly willing to trade back, a list that includes 49ers, Bears, Jets, Titans, and Bills. It’s possible that trades involving top draft slots could be cheaper than normal this year, as some teams believe there’s a lack of “overwhelming” prospects at the top of the draft.
Tennessee, specifically could be open to trading down — and already own a later first-round pick at No. 18 — and Titans general manager Jon Robinson says it’s “50/50” as to whether his club actually uses both the No. 5 No. 18 selection, according to Terry McCormick of TitansInsider.com (Twitter link). The Panthers, too, may be willing to move down if a certain group of players, including LSU running back Leonard Fournette, isn’t available at No. 8, tweets Mike Garafolo of NFL.com.
Cleveland, meanwhile, would likely be moving up with an eye towards drafting North Carolina quarterback Mitch Trubisky. If general manager Sashi Brown & Co. ultimately select edge rusher Myles Garrett first overall, they could look to land their long-term signal-caller just a few picks later. The Cleveland front office is reportedly mulling a move up to No. 5 or No. 6, and franchise owner Jimmy Haslam is apparently pushing the club’s decision-makers to take a quarterback early in Round 1.
PFR’s 2017 Live NFL Mock Draft
The 2017 NFL Draft begins on Thursday night, and Pro Football Rumors is back with its second mock draft of the year. While our initial mock attempted to project what will happen in Round 1, we’ve taken a different approach for mock draft 2.0.
PFR editor Zach Links and I conducted this live mock draft on Tuesday morning, rotating picks and breaking down what we would do were we in charge of these selections. We posted each pick on Twitter, followed by a short explanation of our thought process on this page.
Here’s the complete mock:
1. Cleveland Browns (Zach) – Myles Garrett, LB, Texas A&M
I suspect this is the easiest pick either one of us will make all day. Garrett is the best pure talent in this year’s draft and the Browns would be foolish to go in any other direction at the top of the draft.
2. San Francisco 49ers (Dallas) – Malik Hooker, S, Ohio State
Reports that the 49ers are considering a quarterback with the second overall selection stand out as a potential smokescreen, and instead San Francisco uses the No. 2 pick to bolster its defense. Hooker, who recently earned a full medical clearance following combine rechecks, has been commonly linked to the Chargers as a perfect fit for Los Angeles defensive coordinator Gus Bradley‘s scheme. But the 49ers are running the same defensive look as the Chargers under new DC Robert Saleh, and Hooker would give the team a centerfielder with the upside of an Earl Thomas. San Francisco’s plan to convert nickel cornerback Jimmie Ward to safety won’t stop it from adding Hooker, who is possibly the draft’s No. 2 overall prospect.
3. Chicago Bears (Zach) – Solomon Thomas, DL, Stanford
Dallas’ bold pick left my Bears with a golden opportunity. The Bears could go safety or cornerback in this scenario, but the talent of Thomas is too good to pass up. Thomas can be used on both the inside and outside of the Bears’ defensive line and I see him as one of the safest talents on the board.
4. Jacksonville Jaguars (Dallas) – Gareon Conley, CB, Ohio State
No, we didn’t forget the Jaguars used a top-five pick on Jalen Ramsey in 2016 and then handed a $67.5MM contract to A.J. Bouye in free agency last month. But one of Ramsey’s key selling points last year was his versatility: while he’s a shutdown corner at his best, Ramsey can man the slot, cover tight ends, and dabble at safety. As such, adding Conley doesn’t mean Jacksonville is facing cornerback overload, especially given that NFL clubs are in the nickel more than two-thirds of the time. Conley is viewed as a safer prospect than his Ohio State teammate Marshon Lattimore, and he’d give the Jaguars a Broncos-like secondary.
5. Tennessee Titans (Zach) – Marshon Lattimore, CB, Ohio State
The Titans, arguably, get the best cornerback available in the draft even though they are the second team to address the position. No, we don’t have a ton of film to go on for Lattimore, but his combine numbers indicate that he could be a megastar. Few teams in the NFL would have a young cornerback duo like the Titans if they can pair Logan Ryan with Lattimore.
6. Cleveland Browns (projected trade with Jets) (Dallas) – Mitch Trubisky, QB, North Carolina
In need of a franchise quarterback, the Browns send the No. 12 and No. 52 pick to the Jets in exchange for No. 6 with the intention of drafting Trubisky. It’s a slight overpay for Cleveland (at least, based on Chase Stuart of Football Perspective‘s draft value chart, which is likely what the Browns front offices uses), but it does the deal anyway to land a long-term option under center. Given that Browns owner Jimmy Haslam is reportedly pressing the club to select a quarterback early — and the fact the Cleveland may still be considering Trubisky with the first overall selection — landing the UNC signal-caller at No. 5 for the cost of a mid-second-round pick is a move the Browns can’t pass up.
7. Los Angeles Chargers (Zach) – Jonathan Allen, DL, Alabama
In this scenario, it seems like Allen’s subpar workouts have led to a bit of a drop. His size (6’3″) is a bit of a concern, but he has the ability to be an effective defensive end while spending some time on the inside as well. Allen would look great lining up on the opposite end of Joey Bosa.
8. Carolina Panthers (Dallas) – Corey Davis, WR, Western Michigan
Sitting at pick No. 8, the Panthers certainly have options. General manager Dave Gettleman & Co. could go after a running back like Leonard Fournette or Christian McCaffrey, bring in a young edge rusher to play alongside veterans like Charles Johnson and Julius Peppers, or even reach for an offensive tackle given Michael Oher‘s health questions. With Ted Ginn Jr. and Corey Brown having defected via free agency, the Panthers need another wideout to pair with Kelvin Benjamin. Enter Davis, who topped 1,400 yards and 12 touchdowns in each of the past three seasons.
9. Cincinnati Bengals (Zach) – Reuben Foster, LB, Alabama
Foster’s stock, by all accounts, is slipping after he turned in a diluted urine sample and got into an argument with a hospital worker at the combine. However, with other teams in the market for an inside linebacker (like the Jets at No. 12, for example), it would be somewhat risky to trade down into the teens and expect Foster to still be there. The Bengals have been willing to overlook character concerns in the past, so I see no reason why they can’t do the same here and land the Alabama star.
10. Buffalo Bills (Dallas) – Jamal Adams, S, LSU
While the Bills gave Jordan Poyer a four-year deal with $6MM in guarantees earlier this offseason, I’m still not convinced Buffalo views him as a definite starter. Those questions come to the forefront with Adams still on the board, and the Bills don’t hesitate to take the LSU defensive back. With ex-Packer Micah Hyde also in the fold, Buffalo can field one of the more diverse and flexible safety tandems in the league. Adams is viewed as a leader in the locker room, and has been favorably compared to former Cowboys All Pro Darren Woodson by Lance Zierlein of NFL.com.
49ers Considering QB At No. 2
The 49ers are giving strong consideration to taking a quarterback with the No. 2 overall pick, according to sources who spoke with NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport. The Niners already have free agent pickups Brian Hoyer and Matt Barkley on the roster, so this news comes as something of a surprise. 
Of course, every piece of news must be taken with a grain of salt on draft week. The Niners could be giving real thought to Mitch Trubisky and other top QBs, but they might also be trying to send a message to teams that are interested in taking a top signal caller. The Browns, for example, have an affinity for Trubisky (or, at least, some Browns execs do), and the Niners could be scaring them into trading up to the No. 2 pick. Rapoport hears that the Browns are one of several teams considering a move up to No. 2, so this could be a clever smokescreen on the part of SF brass.
Assuming Myles Garrett goes No. 1 overall, taking a QB at No. 2 would mean bypassing several intriguing talents like Stanford’s Solomon Thomas. The pick might also rule out a pursuit of Kirk Cousins after the 2017 season, but it’s too early to know that for certain. What we do know is that San Francisco standing pat and taking a QB at No. 2 would cause a surprising domino effect that would radically alter the rest of the first round.
Draft Notes: Jets Swap, Trubisky, Garrett
- Rich Cimini of ESPN.com believes there is truth to the rumors that the Browns and Jets are discussing a deal that would see the Browns send their No. 12 overall pick and multiple other selections to New York in exchange for the Jets’ No. 6 overall selection. Such a deal would likely be contingent on, among other things, Mitch Trubisky‘s still being available, but the teams are talking and Cimini believes the Jets should pull the trigger if they can.
- Speaking of the Browns and Trubisky, Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer hears that the Browns’ interest in taking the UNC signal-caller with the No. 1 overall pick is genuine, but she still thinks the team will select Myles Garrett with that choice.
Browns RB Isaiah Crowell Not Attending Workouts
Although the deadline has passed for restricted free agents to ink offer sheets with rival clubs, Browns running back Isaiah Crowell has yet to sign his second-round RFA tender and is not attending Browns workouts, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.
Crowell is one of three restricted free agents tendered at the second-round level who hasn’t yet signed his tender, a list that also includes Broncos kicker Brandon McManus and Chargers wide receiver Dontrelle Inman. If and when Crowell does ink the tender, he’ll be scheduled to earn a non-guaranteed $2.746MM base salary for the 2017 season. While Crowell did reportedly draw interest as an RFA earlier this year, it was always unlikely another team would sacrifice a second-round pick in order to add a running back with limited results at the NFL level.
That doesn’t mean Crowell can’t be traded at some point, but he’d need to officially sign his tender before that can happen. The Browns have expressed interest in collegiate backs such as Leonard Fournette, Dalvin Cook, and Joe Mixon throughout the predraft process, so it’s possible Cleveland could use the No. 12 or No. 33 pick on a runner while dealing Crowell away. In addition to Crowell, other backs on the Browns’ roster include Duke Johnson, George Atkinson, and Darius Jackson.