The Cleveland Browns know who they are going to take with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. We think. John Dorsey, the Browns GM, is a mystery wrapped in a shroud draped in an slightly oversized Cleveland Browns sweatshirt; he won't tell ANYONE who he is taking with the first overall pick.
Not even his wife.
Had a brief convo with @Browns GM John Dorsey. No legit trade offers for No.1 pick. As for who that No.1 pick will be? “I haven’t even told my wife.” 🤔@nflnetwork
— Steve Wyche (@wyche89) April 25, 2018
And not even his own head coach -- according to Robert Klemko of TheMMQB.com, Dorsey's "decision has been made" but Browns coach Hue Jackson is "out of the loop" along with the rest of humanity.
Observations about the Browns pick:
— Robert Klemko (@RobertKlemko) April 25, 2018
1. Only Dorsey *knows* who they'll pick at 1
2. That decision has been made
3. Info to the contrary is disinformation
4. His people aren't telling media his plan; they don't know
5. Hue, who will be coaching for his job, is out of the loop
Presumably there is a chance that Dorsey has told Jimmy Haslam and Dee Haslam, the Browns owners. Bosses typically aren't cool with employees who just do what they want, especially when those bosses are directly paying for the salaries of said employees.
On the other hand, maybe Dorsey's made it clear he is going to run the show and he doesn't want leaks springing up. If one was inclined to connect dots, one could also point out that TheMMQB.com has run a lengthy series of articles on Baker Mayfield and that it would stand to reason Mayfield's camp at least knows whether Dorsey has made his decision on the first pick.
Mayfield has been heavily connected with that selection in recent days -- we noted on the Pick Six Podcast with Dustin Fox of The Athletic Cleveland there is legitimate buzz about Mayfield going first overall. And on the edition of the podcast that will drop on Thursday, CBS Sports NFL Insider Jason La Canfora points out that Mayfield was the first guy Dorsey started scouting when he took over the Browns in the middle of the 2017 season.
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There are some clear-cut winners and losers here by the way. The biggest winner is the NFL, because we're about to head into what could be the wildest NFL draft in recent years. And no one is entirely sure what's going to happen up top. The Giants are at No. 2 and they can't be sure if they're taking a quarterback (Sam Darnold) or if they're going to take Saquon Barkley/Bradley Chubb, because they don't know what the Browns are doing with the first pick. It's crazy, man.
The loser? Obviously Hue Jackson, who was already on the hot seat after going 1-31 in two seasons. Winning one game -- with none on a Sunday! -- in the NFL will get your tookus a little toasty. And now Hue has zero control over who the quarterback taken at No. 1 will be. Which sort of says "you better win with Tyrod Taylor this year or else" in a very loud and very public way. Also worth noting: there are some who believe Hue might be the source behind a leak or two in his day, and if Dorsey is trying to control the flow of information out of the Browns, he's best to keep everything to himself.
For richer or poorer, in sickness and in health count, but the vows are off when it comes to the NFL draft.
