Browns GM tight-lipped on top pick of draft
— The Sports Xchange —
Cleveland Browns general manager John Dorsey isn’t letting the world know of his intentions for the 2018 NFL Draft.
In fact, Dorsey isn’t revealing the news within his own home … or reportedly with head coach Hue Jackson.
Dorsey told NFL Network’s Steve Wyche on Wednesday that he hasn’t “even told (his) wife” which player the Browns will select with the first overall pick in the draft come Thursday night in Arlington, Texas.
According to Robert Klemko of TheMMQB.com, Dorsey’s “decision has been made” but Jackson is “out of the loop.”
NFL.com’s Michael Silver disputed that Jackson has been left in the dark.
“Last year Hue Jackson (who desperately wanted Myles Garrett) WAS kept out of the loop — by then-GM Sashi Brown,” Silver wrote on Twitter. “He found out who Browns were taking 1 overall the morning of the draft. This year with John Dorsey has been a different story. He’s in the loop. All good.”
Dorsey also acknowledged that Cleveland has not received a legitimate trade offer for that pick.
Dorsey didn’t confirm to Wyche that the team will take a quarterback with its first pick. The Browns are mulling between Wyoming quarterback Josh Allen and reigning Heisman Trophy winner Baker Mayfield of Oklahoma, multiple media outlets reported this week.
Cleveland also holds the No. 4 overall pick of the draft by virtue of a trade with the Houston Texans last year.
The Browns, who limped to an 0-16 mark last year and are 1-31 in the last two seasons, haven’t fared well when selecting a quarterback with their first-round pick. Since 1999, the team has chosen the following: Kentucky’s Tim Couch (No. 1 overall, 1999), Notre Dame’s Brady Quinn (No. 22 overall, 2007), Oklahoma State’s Brandon Weeden (No. 22 overall, 2012) and Texas A&M’s Johnny Manziel (No. 22 overall, 2014).
NFLDraftScout.com senior analyst Rob Rang lists USC quarterback Sam Darnold first in his most recent Big Board. UCLA quarterback Josh Rosen, Penn State running back Saquon Barkley, Notre Dame guard Quenton Nelson and North Carolina State defensive end Bradley Chubb round out the top five.
Allen is ranked 10th by Rang, Mayfield is 13th and Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson is 23rd.
Allen, who threw for 1,966 yards with 19 touchdowns last season, said Tuesday that Cleveland was among seven teams that he visited.
Listed at 6-foot-5, 237 pounds, Allen ran the 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine in 4.75 seconds with a 33 1/2-inch vertical jump. Rang said the knock on Allen is his completion percentage.
Mayfield recently visited with the Browns, with Dorsey referring to the 23-year-old as a “pleasant fella” during his Thursday news conference.
Mayfield passed for 4,627 yards and accounted for 48 touchdowns with just six interceptions while leading Oklahoma to the College Football Playoff last season.
While that that is impressive, Mayfield is also linked to some less-than-stellar moments.
Mayfield planted the Sooner flag at midfield after winning at Ohio State and taunted Kansas fans as well. Those actions were preceded by a Feb. 25 arrest in Fayetteville, Ark., on charges of public intoxication, disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and fleeing, which resulted in a plea deal.
Tyrod Taylor, who was the Buffalo Bills’ primary quarterback over the last three seasons, was acquired by the Browns in the offseason. The 28-year-old Taylor played in 15 games for the Bills last year and completed 62.6 percent of his passes for 2,799 yards and 14 touchdowns with four interceptions.
Taylor is joined by quarterback Drew Stanton, who has started 17 games and appeared in 38 total during his NFL career with the Detroit Lions (2007-11), Indianapolis Colts (2012) and Arizona Cardinals (2013-17). He has completed 345 of 659 passes for 4,059 yards with 20 touchdowns.
