2017 NFL Draft: Cleveland Browns Pick DE Myles Garrett at No. 1

Even though the national media tried to push the narrative about the Cleveland Browns taking a quarterback with the first overall pick, there was never a doubt in our minds of who the pick would actually be.

The last time the Browns held the No. 1 pick was in the year 2000 when they selected DE Courtney Brown. Fast-forward 17 years, and with the first pick of the 2017 NFL Draft, the team picked DE Myles Garrett (6-4½, 270 lbs) out of Texas A&M to kick off Thursday night’s festivities.

Scouting Reports

When the staff at Dawgs By Nature compiled our Browns big boards, Garrett was cumulatively listed as the No. 1 player on our big boards. Here is a scouting report from CBS Sports' Dane Brugler:

A three-year starter at Texas A&M, Garrett lined up primarily as the right defensive end in the Aggies’ four-man front and finished his career ranked seventh all-time in the SEC in sacks (Derek Barnett is ranked sixth and Reggie White is eighth) – 32.5 sacks the last three seasons is the second-most in the FBS over that span. He has the impressive ability to beat blockers with his athletic gifts while also tracking the football with backfield vision – student of the game and his favorite athlete is Pro Football Hall of Famer Deacon Jones.

Although he has room to improve the efficiency of his rush attack, Garrett keeps his hips and feet in sync and screams off the edge with the diverse skill-set to win in different ways. His production declined slightly as a junior, but the stat sheet is deceiving as offenses often game-planned for him, attacking with double and triple teams, and health was an issue over the second half of 2016. Overall, Garrett is the No. 1 prospect in the 2017 class with his special ability to get upfield quicker than most due to his combination of explosive athleticism, length and football intuition – easy favorite to be drafted first overall and should make an immediate NFL impact rushing the passer.

And here is what Pro Football Focus said about Garrett:

Myles Garrett is the unquestioned top edge prospect in this class. The biggest criticism I’ve seen of Garrett is that he didn’t record enough sacks in SEC play. If you don’t think he was productive against the SEC the past three seasons, however, you simply didn’t watch the games. Garrett is a freak of nature physically who is still only scratching the surface of his potential.

Here are some quotes from scouts’ assessment on Garrett, as collected by Bob McGinn of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel:

• “When that guy came down the assembly line it was a special day for the Almighty. He was feeling real good about what he was doing. You do see some lapses but I do think he will live up to the A&M tradition of Von Miller. If Ziggy Ansah is a 5 on talent level, this guy’s a 6. We’re talking a whole different level.”
• “Straight-laced. Well-liked. Motor doesn’t always run hot. Deep thinker. Into jazz.”
• “He leaves a lot to be desired. He’s a good athlete but there are stretches of him not being productive. He’s not really a tough guy. He’s a flash player. I don’t think he plays hard. He’s got burst and speed but I’d take (Joey) Bosa.”

How He Fits the Browns

Cleveland invested heavily on the offensive line in free agency this year, and now they’ve begun the draft investing in the defensive trenches. The Browns’ core front seven this upcoming season is expected to include DE Myles Garrett, NT Danny Shelton, DE Desmond Bryant, OLB Jamie Collins, OLB Emmanuel Ogbah, and ILB Christian Kirksey, with the seventh guy being filled by a committee. That is a whole lot more promising than what the team put on the field in 2016, and new defensive coordinator Gregg Williams has to be salivating at the thought of coaching that group.

He also can’t wait to meet Ben Roethlisberger for a sack in the backfield:

React Now

What do you think, Browns fans?