The 2017 NFL draft is expected to start with the Cleveland Browns selecting Texas A&M edge rusher Myles Garrett with the No. 1 overall pick. He has been viewed as the consensus No. 1 option for virtually the entire offseason, and nothing about his game has changed in those four months.
And yet, the rumors about North Carolina quarterback Mitchell Trubisky as a potential No. 1 overall pick continue to persist. The Browns hold the No. 1 and No. 12 picks. In a perfect world for Cleveland, they would pick Garrett No. 1, and then wait and get Trubisky at No. 12. However, we have seen numerous reports suggesting several teams between the Browns picks are considering Trubisky.
If the Browns are convinced someone could grab Trubisky before they return at No. 12, they have two options. Trade up from No. 12, or draft Trubisky. OK, technically a third option is just not land Trubisky and go to plan B at the quarterback position.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter is the latest to report on the Browns interest in Trubisky. On ESPN earlier today, he talked about some of the things he’s hearing, and one of them is that Trubisky remains in serious consideration at No. 1.
“I continue to hear, I continue to hear that Mitchell Trubisky is sure in consideration and may turn out to be the No. 1 pick. I know everyone says Myles Garrett’s gonna be the pick, and I will not be surprised if that turns out to be the case tomorrow night, but I have got very smart, very well-connected people telling me over the last 24 hours that they think Mitchell Trubisky’s gonna be the No. 1 pick. We’ll see.”
I still think Garrett is the pick, but part of that is because I really don’t want to get my hopes up that Garrett could slide to the San Francisco 49ers at No. 2. We don’t even know for sure that the 49ers would draft Garrett, but it seems like the logical choice if he is there. Garrett’s availability there would open the door for more trade options, but barring a Herschel Walker type haul for the No. 2 pick, I just don’t see how the 49ers pass on a potential cornerstone player like Garrett.
I will continue to pretend it will not fall this way for the 49ers. The Browns could very well Browns this up in a big way, but I will not rest my hopes of a happy draft on Cleveland screwing this up. But hey, we can always dream.