Cleveland Browns: How about a non-QB going first overall?

A quarterback selected first overall is too easy to assume and slot in mock drafts. So why not a non-QB for the Cleveland Browns atop the draft order?

There is no doubt that the Cleveland Browns need a franchise quarterback. After all, they have been searching for that person since 1999.

Knowing that the Browns have a very good chance of owning two of the top five picks in April, one of those picks should be on a quarterback, right?

Well, yes, but only if general manager John Dorsey is convinced he found his guy. There is no reason to draft a quarterback especially first overall just for the sake of taking one.

For a team like the Browns, they need talent first and foremost regardless of the position. Now, the case to take a quarterback first overall or in the first round, in general, is very understandable.

If I had to choose one, right now it would be UCLA’s, Josh Rosen.

However, Cleveland has options. Because no quarterback that could be drafted is a clear-cut first overall talent, all options must be considered. Dorsey could go a number of routes, but his best may be just adding a veteran and forcing an offensive coordinator to be hired to help DeShone Kizer.

Cleveland needs to get the most out of their roster and because of that, going with the best player available approach needs to be executed.

With that in mind, some people may view one of the quarterbacks as the best player available, which is fine. For me, that label right now goes to Alabama DB Minkah Fitzpatrick. He is a rover in Nick Saban’s defense and will continue to do that in the NFL.

He currently plays free safety but also can be seen at times at cornerback and at linebacker in their dime packages. While Fitzpatrick could play either safety spot, he is best suited to be either a free safety or cornerback in the NFL depending on the scheme and surrounding talents.

Regardless, Fitzpatrick’s skill-set and play-making ability set him apart as the best defender in this draft.

Typically it takes three years for a draft class to properly be evaluated. However, it did not take anywhere close to that timeframe to know that Jabrill Peppers is not a strong safety (which was known prior to him being drafted this past April).

He is best-suited playing in the box as a linebacker. It is safe to say Peppers is not the traditional strong safety.

Adjustments can be made but to get the most out of Cleveland’s secondary, it would be wise to move Derrick Kindred over and draft Fitzpatrick. If that isn’t an option and Cleveland prefers Fitzpatrick as a corner, that works too.

I don’t know about you but I prefer the surer thing. Fitzpatrick is not going to last until their second first rounder unless it is fourth overall. Even that may be generous.

So why hope that the best player in the draft is still on the board later and draft a quarterback first? It doesn’t make sense.

Is drafting a free safety/cornerback first overall unconventional? Yes, but being that Fitzpatrick has Champ Bailey/Sean Taylor potential, don’t overthink this choice.

Besides, Dorsey should ignore what draft spot the Browns are in when drafting and take the best option available each time. If Fitzpatrick is his best player on the board option, then draft him.

Next: Week 15 Q & A with The Baltimore Wire

There’s plenty of time before the draft cards need to be sent in. Until then, Dorsey will sort through the many options he has at his disposal to improve the quarterback position. Not everyone will like what he does but as long as he improves the team’s roster as a whole, that is all that truly matters.