Browns left tackle Joe Thomas said Thursday that the Browns should use the No. 1 overall pick in the draft on a pass rusher rather than a quarterback.
Thomas has never missed a game in his 10-year career and he’s been a Pro Bowler every year, so while the final decision isn’t his, his voice might carry some weight.
“I think you’ve got to be careful reaching for a quarterback at No. 1 because if they fail, they don’t help your team at all. Whereas if you pick a defensive lineman and they don’t live up to the hype, you can still find a place to get them on the field and to have an impact,” Thomas said on The Dan Patrick Show via NFL.com.
Browns coach Hue Jackson said this week at the Senior Bowl that the Browns will bring in another quarterback, but he didn’t say if it would be through the draft or in free agency.
The last two defensive ends taken with the first overall pick, Jadeveon Clowney in 2014 and Mario Williams in 2006, have worked out pretty well. However, the Browns took the one before that, Courtney Brown in 2000, and he never had more than six sacks in a season and was out of the league by 2006.
So regardless of the position, if the Browns don’t improve their talent evaluation, every pick is risky.
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