The Cleveland Browns have had a history of draft blunders along with the most starting quarterbacks in the NFL since 1999. With the number two overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft in their grasp, will the team finally make a selection worthy of a franchise-changing player?
The Browns hold the number two overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft. Quite the promising pick. The possibilities are endless including any quarterback prospect they may desire due to the Tennessee Titans who hold the number one overall pick, already have their franchise quarterback in Marcus Mariota, drafted in 2015.
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Last week, the Browns signed 2012 Offensive Rookie of the Year and former Washington Redskins quarterback, Robert Griffin III, to a two year deal.
With the addition of RG III and the Browns history and need for a franchise quarterback, will they be drafting a quarterback such as Carson Wentz out of North Dakota State or fellow top prospect, Jared Goff out of Cal, with that pick? Or will the Browns take it slow and have one of those quarterbacks learn the system and from Griffin for the duration of his contract along with new head coach, Hue Jackson, until they are ready to thrive and succeed at the NFL level.
There is a possibility that they trust Griffin and make him their franchise quarterback and go in a different direction however that is extremely unlikely and that Griffin is here to potentially resurrect his career while the Browns reap the benefits while also drafting a future-franchise quarterback.
The Browns history of drafting and scouting has been terrible at best in the last few years. Here is a list of the previous five years of number one draft picks for the Browns. The list is as follows:
2015: Round 1, Pick #12 – Danny Shelton, DT – Washington; Pick #19 – Cameron Erving, T – Florida State
2014: Round 1, Pick #8 – Justin Gilbert, CB Oklahoma State; Pick #22 – Johnny Manziel, QB Texas A&M
2013: Round 1, Pick #6 – Barkevious Mingo, OLB, LSU
2012: Round 1, Pick #3 – Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama; Pick #22 – Brandon Weeden, QB, Oklahoma State
2011: Round 1, Pick #21- Philip Taylor, DT, Baylor
The 2012 first-round selections with Brandon Weeden and Trent Richardson is arguably one of the worst draft botches in recent history – and a draft that set the franchise back even further.
Most notably afterwards comes Danny Shelton, who is promising and a current starter. Mingo is the backup OLB and Justin Gilbert third on the depth chart at right cornerback. Of course, there is Manziel, who contributed very little to the franchise except constant headaches and cover ups about Manziel’s whereabouts, along with his very public struggles with substance abuse. Manziel was released this offseason.
The 2016 draft will most certainly be an important one for the Browns as they essentially have the number one pick due to many across the league believing the Tennessee Titans (number one overall) will select either Jalen Ramsey, CB out of Florida State or Laremy Tunsil, OT out of Mississippi. So, for the Browns, a quarterback will not be taken number one overall – leaving them with every option at the position.
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The Browns should draft either Carson Wentz or Jared Goff, and develop one of them into their franchise quarterback, something the team has not seen since Bernie Kosar.
Both of these prospects in Wentz and Goff have the physical talent along with the mental capacity to be able to effectively lead an offense. The Browns do have leeway now with the signing of Griffin, but he is not the long term answer. By drafting Wentz or Goff, they will finally be able to build a base and have hope for the future at the quarterback position, a statement that has not been taken seriously since the Browns returned to Cleveland.