Browns keeping mum on selection

Cleveland widely expected to pick a QB, suggests it might choose running back

BEREA, Ohio — Browns general manager John Dorsey is old-school cool, from his wardrobe to keeping his plans for the upcoming NFL draft private. He’s not tipping his hand. “You know,” Dorsey said, “a man once told me: Don’t show all your cards at once.”

Dorsey kept things close to the vest — or in his case, a white-and-orange team sweat shirt — on Thursday during a mandatory pre-draft news conference in which he sidestepped any questions about which quarterback he’s considering with the No. 1 overall pick.

For months, Cleveland fans have debated whether the team should select Southern Cal’s Sam Darnold or Wyoming’s Josh Allen or UCLA’s Josh Rosen or Oklahoma’s Baker Mayfield.

Asked point blank, if he had made up his mind, Dorsey scrambled like a QB being blitzed.

“You know what?” he said. “I’m a guy of processes. I’m a guy of structure. I’m a guy of systems and I’m a creature of habit. I’ve done it for 20-some years. But where we are in the process right now, I think the draft is seven days away. But I’m very confident in where we are in the process moving forward.”

And so it went for nearly 30 minutes as Dorsey, who was hired in December to fix a franchise mired in losing, offered few clues on what he intends to do with either of his first-round picks. The Browns also own the No. 4 selection.

The team is expected to draft a quarterback first, but Dorsey said he’s leaving his options — including a trade — open and that he’s even considered using the first pick on Penn State running back Saquon Barkley, considered by some draft experts to be the top overall talent in this year’s player pool.

“Why wouldn’t I?” Dorsey said when