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ANALYSIS | What scenario would be a win for Cleveland Browns in first round of NFL Draft?

WKYC's Dave 'Dino' DeNatale makes the case for the Browns to select Sam Darnold and Bradley Chubb with the 1st and 4th picks of the 2018 NFL Draft.
Both photos from USA TODAY Sports

Happy draft day everyone!

The months of build-up will all come to a climax tonight just after 8 p.m. when NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell declares the draft open and reminds us, yet again, that the Cleveland Browns are on the clock.

After so many years of head-scratching moves, underachieving busts, and dysfunctional drama, it feels like this may finally be the time where the Cleveland Browns get it right.

They have to get it right.

Because you and I sat through two miserable years of 1-31 football in order for today to happen.

The Browns not only have the first overall pick, but the fourth. Everyone in the NFL universe is focused on Cleveland.

Today the team could finally get a franchise quarterback in the building, while adding a core player to their foundation. We may all be able to put a pin into April 26, 2018 as a key day in the rebirth of the Cleveland Browns.

So how does GM John Dorsey succeed today? What must he do?

1. Select Sam Darnold with the first pick.

Each of the four quarterbacks evaluated as the top in this draft have attributes that make them attractive for a team like the Browns. Yet none are thought of as finished products in the realm of an Andrew Luck, or a Cam Newton.

Talking to 'The Voice of the Browns,' Jim Donovan, on a nightly basis, has led me to believe that the Browns have had Darnold targeted for a long time now. They've done their due diligence, worked him out, spent time with his family, and studied his films. As tempting as Baker Mayfield's fiery competitiveness is, or Josh Allen's physical tools, or Josh Rosen's mechanics, Darnold just checks more of the boxes of what the Browns seem to be looking for.

  • Proven winner: check
  • Physical tools: check
  • Willingness to be mentored for as long as it takes until he's ready: check

There's no question that Darnold has a big red flag when it comes to turnovers in 2017. He threw 13 interceptions and lost 9 fumbles. That's alarming. I believe that can also be corrected with the right amount of coaching and mentoring.

Many Browns fans are cool on Darnold because they watched his Trojans get beat in the Cotton Bowl by Ohio State, some may remember the beatdown that Notre Dame put on USC.

You know what I remember about the 20-year-old from Capistrano Beach? I recall the 2017 Rose Bowl, when as a freshman, Darnold threw for 453 yards and 5 touchdowns to lead Southern Cal to a remarkable win over Penn State. Here was the last of Darnold's 5 TD tosses:

Don't overthink this. Don't get bedazzled by a Big 12 quarterback with swag. Don't fall in love with a guy from Wyoming who struggled to complete 56% of his passes. Take Darnold and mold him into the future franchise QB of the Cleveland Browns.

2. If he's there, take Bradley Chubb with the fourth pick

The Browns love to trade down in the first round of the NFL Draft. They did it in 2009, 2011, 2014, 2016, and 2017. The return on their investment has seldom proved worthy of moving out the pick.

My friend and former ESPN Cleveland colleague Tony Grossi wrote recently about what the Browns recouped after their analytics-driven trades orchestrated by Sashi Brown It's not impressive.

Players no longer on the roster. More picks. Yawn.

Enough is enough. At some point, the Browns have to move from what former Cavs GM Chris Grant called 'asset accumulation mode' to actually spending these assets on players. Do it now.

If he's on the board, the best pick at 4 for the Browns is North Carolina State edge rusher Bradley Chubb. While not as highly touted as Myles Garrett was a year ago, Chubb's upside may be just as promising. 10 sacks in each of the last two years for the Wolfpack. Roughly a third of his tackles in 2017 went for a loss.

You want to be an offensive coordinator trying to scheme against Garrett on one side and Chubb on the other? Good luck with that. Don't forget about Emmanuel Ogbah as well.

Get Chubb and finally the Browns will have a position of true strength with players who can be legitimate difference-makers.

So what if Chubb is gone when it's the Browns turn to pick, you say?

No problem. Take the best player available on your board.

If that's Saquon Barkley, the running back from Penn State, great.

If it's Minkah Fitzpatrick, the defensive back out of Alabama, I'm sold.

Or maybe Denzel Ward, the former Nordonia Knight and Ohio State Buckeye corner. Yes, please.

Don't get cute. Don't try to split the atom.

You are here for a reason. The Browns were 0-16 last year, 1-31 over the past two years. You need big time players. If you want to get another first round-caliber player, that's what you have 3 second round picks for. Use them.

But don't trade down. Pretty please.

That's how the Browns can win the day in my view.

In the meantime, buckle up everyone. This promises to be a memorable day no matter what happens.

See you tonight for our wall-to-wall draft coverage on WKYC.com and on Facebook Live. I can't wait.

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