By Will Stein
One week after making a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles to obtain more picks, could the QB-starved Cleveland Browns be eyeing a different quarterback in the 2016 NFL Draft?
With the 8th overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, I project former Memphis Tigers quarterback Paxton Lynch being selected by Cleveland at No.8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hsy_J8C1fgw
During my recent trip to the Super Bowl, I went to a party for super-agent Leigh Steinberg. Steinberg represents Lynch and I had the possibility to meet Paxton myself. He’s a great kid, and he’s very smart.
As I was talking with Paxton, I saw new Browns head coach Hue Jackson come talk to Paxton. I notice both Paxton and Hue talk for a lengthy period of time. Even with the signing of RG3, the Browns still need a long term solution at QB.
Since having 20-plus quarterbacks since drafting Tim Couch #1 overall in 1999, when players such as Donovan McNabb and Daunte Culpepper were still available and in 2004 when they took Kellen Winslow ahead of Ben Roethlisberger, who has since haunted the Browns to the tune of a 20-2 record, Cleveland has had little luck in finding their guy.
Now they have the opportunity to grab the 6’7, 245-pound Lynch, who passed for 8,863 yards, 59 touchdowns and 23 interceptions in three years as a starter for the Tigers, and 17 more touchdowns on the ground and 687 yards rushing. I personally don’t think they pass up a potential franchise quarterback. I have a feeling Lynch was their guy at the beginning, however I didn’t think they would take him at #2.
The Browns will come out major winners in this draft by selecting Lynch at 8, and filling other holes with the collection of picks the Browns obtained through the second overall pick. Hue knows his quarterbacks and his talk with Lynch at the Steinberg Super Bowl 50 Bash, I trust Hue when it comes to quarterbacks.
Sometimes it pays to suck just ask the St Louis/Los Angeles Rams. Lynch to Cleveland at 8.