April 27, 2017
Shortly after commissioner Roger Goodell took the stage constructed in front of the Philadelphia Museum of Art – and hours after fans began filling the Benjamin Franklin Parkway – the Cleveland Browns officially got things started when they selected Texas A&M defensive end Myles Garrett with the first-overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft.
The pick, which was first reported by Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com earlier on Thursday, wasn't much of a surprise, which is expected to be the exception rather than the rule in a draft full of question marks. But with the Browns also holding the 11th pick, there was always the chance they went with a quarterback at No. 1 (likely UNC's Mitchell Trubisky) and waited until their second pick to bolster their defense.
If they're (still) hoping to land their franchise QB, Cleveland will now have to wait and see who is left on the board when they go back on the clock.
In Garrett, the Browns got a player many believe to be the best in his class at any position. However, he's recently come under fire for taking some plays off in college, according to his critics.
Still, the 6-foot-4, 272-pound lineman finished his college career with 31 sacks and 141 tackles. And last season he posted 8.5 sacks and 15 tackles for a loss despite a lingering ankle injury.
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