Do They Dare Take Another Quarterback?
Yet again for another year, the Cleveland Browns hold rights to the number one overall pick in next month’s NFL Draft. Many, including myself, are wondering if they are going to take another risk and draft a quarterback, or will they play it safe and go in another direction?
In prior years, the Browns have had little to no success when drafting a QB early on in the draft. The run of bad QB draft picks started in 2007, when they used a first-round draft pick on QB Brady Quinn, who at the time was a stud from Notre Dame. In the 2012 draft, they used a first round pick on QB Brandon Weeden from Oklahoma. In 2014 they drafted QB Johnny Manziel from Texas A&M in round one, and just last year in the 2017 draft they took QB DeShone Kizer from Notre Dame early in the second round.
What do all these former QB’s drafted early on by the Browns have in common? None of them brought the Browns to the playoffs, let alone a winning season. Imagine if they used those picks on other skills players, maybe then they would have been able to make the playoffs, something they haven’t done since 2002.
With two notable QB’s in next month’s draft, Josh Allen from Wyoming and Sam Darnold from USC, some mock drafts have the Browns taking another chance on a QB, hoping this year will be different. Experts think these guys possess the skill set to succeed at the next level, but didn’t they think the same thing about the other QB’s who turned out to be busts?
So, do the Browns dare risk using a high pick on another QB who could turn out to be a bust?
Personally, instead of hoping that this is the year they draft a franchise quarterback, why not play it safe and go with someone like running back Saquon Barkley? Some analysts even think he is the best overall player in the draft.
With the history the Browns have had with drafting QBs, the decision to me seems easy, go with less risky and more reliable pick in Barkley.
