Jimmy Garoppolo, Connor Shaw visiting Cleveland Browns
Jimmy Garoppolo (10) throws the ball. USA Today Sports
The Cleveland Browns look at quarterback prospects in the 2014 NFL Draft continues today and tomorrow, as the Cleveland Plain Dealer’s Mary Kay Cabot reports that the Browns are bringing in Eastern Illinois’s Jimmy Garoppolo and former South Carolina Gamecocks star quarterback Connor Shaw in for pre-draft visits. Per Cabot, the Browns work out with Shaw will occur tomorrow, so it looks like today will just give both sides time to talk before tomorrow’s throwing session.
Garoppolo is a possible post first-round option for the Browns, and there is still buzz circling around the small-school prospect due to his arm strength, quick release, accuracy, and quality scrambling ability. However, I’m not a fan of Garoppolo due to his awful play under pressure, and the Eastern Illinois offense was built around the first read, which doesn’t do Garoppolo any favors considering there will be a massive gap in the level of competition he will face in the NFL. He has some upside and is worth a mid-round pick, but I would avoid taking him before the third round and have a fourth-round grade on him overall due to his poor play against the pass rush.
Connor Shaw has limited upside and is nothing more than a late-round prospect, but it doesn’t look like the former SEC star will go undrafted (that was his previous projection). He an also scramble and has good accuracy and intangibles, but Shaw has limited physical tools and projects as a career backup. That said, he is worth the look for the Browns as a potential depth option at the position, and he’s also had workouts with a number of other teams, including the New England Patriots.