Browns select Myles Garrett to open up 2017 NFL draft

I don’t think the Cleveland Browns (post-1999 version) have ever had a player as talented as Myles Garrett, other than Joe Thomas. That became official on Thursday, with the Browns taking Garrett first overall, tossing aside the idea that they’d take UNC quarterback Mitchell Trubisky — a fine, but not-number-one-overall type of prospect.

Garrett was a top-five recruit by almost every outlet in 2014 (number one or two, often) and chose Texas A&M over any school he wanted to attend. He was dominant immediately as a true freshman and finished his three-year career with 32.5 sacks. Garrett broke Jadeveon Clowney’s SEC freshman record for sacks and had eight more career sacks than Clowney. He then went to the NFL Scouting Combine and was one of the three most dominant players there, backing up the hype.

This is the third time that Cleveland has picked first overall since 1999, with Garrett joining Tim Couch (99) and Courtney Brown (00). Brown was a great prospect, but probably not on the level of Garrett or Julius Peppers, the player he is most often compared to.

The San Francisco 49ers go on the clock at number two, and thankfully (we think) for NFC West opponents, won’t be getting Garrett.