The Cleveland Browns and the San Francisco 49ers are in a virtual dead heat for the NFL's worst record and the first overall pick in the 2017 draft.
The Browns have a one game lead on that front at 0-13, while the 49ers are one game back at 1-12. And given Cleveland's status as maybe the most quarterback-needy franchise in the league, a signal caller would appear to be the obvious target.
The flipside to that coin, however, is the team's recent history with selecting quarterbacks first overall. It's been bust after bust after bust. There was Tim Couch in 1999, Brady Quinn in 2007, Brandon Weeden in 2012, and Johnny Manziel in 2014.
Cleveland appears ready, and should be, to go in a different direction with their very first pick this time out. According to ESPN NFL analyst Adam Schefter, the Browns have already begun zeroing in on Texas A&M defensive end Myles Garrett, who they've given an "astronomical grade."
The consensus best pass rusher on everyone's board, the 6'5", 265-pound Garrett recorded 8.5 sacks this season and 31 in his three seasons with the Aggies. In short, he's got the potential to be almost any team's best defensive player, a la Von Miller in Denver or Khalil Mack in Oakland.
And the trade with the Eagles during last year's draft means the Browns likely have another first-round pick coming, which could go towards addressing those quarterback concerns.
No one wants to see a team tank, but in this case it just might be Cleveland's best option.
