The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Draft analyst has his ideal Browns scenario
NFL draft analyst Mike Mayock says the Browns should draft defensive lineman Myles Garrett and use the No. 12 pick to obtain quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. He also weighs in on Mitch Trubisky.
If the Browns listen to NFL draft analyst Mike Mayock, they won’t spend any of their high draft choices on a quarterback but will instead trade for one.
The Browns pick first and 12th in the first round April 27 and first — 33rd overall — in the second round. They also pick 52nd in the second round and have 11 picks overall.
“If I’m the Cleveland Browns and I came away with either (defensive linemen) Myles Garrett or Jonathan Allen No. 1 and gave up the 12th pick in the draft to get (Jimmy) Garoppolo, I would be stoked,” Mayock said Feb. 27 during a conference call previewing the NFL Scouting Combine beginning Feb. 28 in Indianapolis. “I’d feel like I got a difference maker on defense and we got our quarterback. Now let’s get to work.
“From my perspective, especially looking at quarterbacks this year, if they gave up 12 and got Garoppolo, I’d be all over that.”
Garoppolo backed up Tom Brady in New England in 2014 and 2015 without starting a game. He started the first two games of 2016 while Brady was serving a four-game suspension and won both, though he suffered a shoulder injury in the second game. He will be a free agent after 2017 without a new contract.
Trades cannot be made before March 9. Opinions differ on whether the Patriots will be willing to part with Garoppolo, which of course could be Patriots coach Bill Belichick’s way of driving up the price.
Mayock believes Garoppolo is the best option for the Browns because he doesn’t believe any of the top three quarterbacks rate in the top 10 among players in the 2017 draft. He ranks them the same as he did earlier this month — DeShone Kizer of Notre Dame first, Deshaun Watson of Clemson second and Mitch Trubisky and North Carolina third.
Kizer has the “highest ceiling” of the three and Watson is “fascinating” Mayock said. His skepticism about Trubisky is not new.
“I’ll be the first to tell you — I like Mitch Trubisky,” Mayock said. “He’s got a quick release. He’s got a big arm. He has good feet and he moves around the pocket fairly well. So I was really impressed.
“I wasn’t expecting a whole lot when I put the first tape in. I think I’ve watched five of his games. And by the way — he threw the ball 571 times this year. Carson Wentz, in his entire career, threw it 612 times, only about 40 times less. However, one year as a starter, 13 games …”
Wentz was drafted second overall last year by the Eagles with the pick originally belonging to the Browns. He was 7-9 as a rookie.
“How many two-minute situations was (Trubisky) in?” Mayock continued. “How many four-minute situations when he knew he had to bleed the clock and make calls at the line of scrimmage? I think the Sun Bowl is a microcosm of what I’m talking about. He made two or three throws in the last two minutes against Stanford that were big-time NFL throws. However, in the same half, he threw a pick-six that was an awful read and an awful throw. I just don’t think he’s ready yet.
“I think he’s talented and I think he’s a starting NFL quarterback, but I have about the same grade on him as I did on Garoppolo coming out of college and I had a second-round grade on Garoppolo,” Mayock said.
Garoppolo was the 30th pick in the second round in 2014, pick 62 overall. Four quarterbacks were taken ahead of him. The Jaguars drafted Blake Bortles third, the Browns took Johnny Manziel 22nd and the Vikings took Teddy Bridgewater 32nd in the first round. The Raiders drafted Derek Carr fourth in the second round with the 36th overall pick.