Deshaun Watson led a last-second comeback in the national championship game, and now he’s making a late push to be the first quarterback drafted.
The Clemson quarterback threw a touchdown pass with two seconds left to give the Tigers a 35-31 win over Alabama in January, and now an NFL.com poll of five NFL executives says that Watson will be the first quarterback taken in the first round of the 2017 NFL draft on April 27.
“Watson is the most experienced and he has more good tape than the other quarterbacks,” one of the executives said before echoing a sentiment that’s been heard throughout the draft process. “None of these guys are franchise-type, no-brainer picks, but he’s the closest to what you’d want at the position.”
Three of the five executives said Watson would be the first pick. One said Mitchell Trubisky would be the first pick and one said Patrick Mahomes would be the first pick.
Trubisky’s one year of starting experience could make some teams wary of drafting him. Mahomes has to prove that he can translate his skills from a college spread offense to the NFL.
With those doubts hanging over the other two, Watson’s big-game resumé might be enough for him to be the first quarterback to hear his name called in Philadelphia.
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