Short of making a huge splash by signing Washington's Kirk Cousins for $26 million or more per year, the Browns are expected to draft a quarterback first overall on April 26.
It is, by far, the most likely scenario atop the draft board, and Browns general manager John Dorsey said Tuesday at the Senior Bowl there are four or five quarterback prospects who "make you think at least are they worthy of that position" at No. 1.
Well, it's safe to say four or five quarterbacks are not worthy.
After watching Wyoming's Josh Allen and Oklahoma's Baker Mayfield closely throughout the Senior Bowl practice week in Mobile, Ala., it's difficult to envision either one as the No. 1 selection.
Southern California's Sam Darnold and UCLA's Josh Rosen have long been considered the favorites by most draft analysts to become the top pick, and Dorsey's decision should come down to them.
Allen has prototypical arm strength and size _ he measured at 6-foot-4~ and weighed 237 pounds at the Senior Bowl. He throws an impressive deep ball, and he possesses good mobility. He has a magnetic personality, projecting himself as a leader and face of a franchise in how he worked with his teammates and handled media obligations throughout the practice week.
But his accuracy issues make him too much of a gamble for the top pick. He often throws an amazing pass or two and then completely misfires. There isn't nearly enough consistency.
It's easy to see similarities between Allen and Browns quarterback DeShone Kizer. Allen finished his career at Wyoming with a completion percentage of 56.2. Kizer had a career completion percentage of 60.7 at Notre Dame and a league-low completion percentage of 53.6 as a rookie who went 0-15 as a starter last season for the 0-16 Browns. Their ball-placement woes are tied to their footwork, specifically overstriding with the front foot.
Because Allen is so likable and has an enticing skill set to go along with great size, it's easy to understand why some talent evaluators have made excuses about his accuracy. They point to dropped passes at Wyoming contributing to a deceiving completion percentage.
Receivers dropped several of Allen's passes in Senior Bowl practices, but what stood out in most of those instances was how hard he rifled the ball on short and intermediate throws. His lack of touch is also reminiscent of Kizer, a second-round pick (No. 52 overall).
The performances of Allen and Mayfield improved throughout the practice week, but Mayfield was better overall. Senior Bowl officials agreed and named Mayfield the practice player of the week at quarterback.
