The Cleveland Browns have the No. 1 pick in the draft, and with it comes a wonderful opportunity to strengthen a team that went 1-15 this year.
The Browns are in dire need of help just about everywhere, including quarterback. However, are any of the top quarterback prospects in this year's draft class worthy of the top pick? That's the question that executive vice president Sashi Brown and head coach Hue Jackson will have to answer by April 27.
There are a couple of top defensive linemen that appear to be worthy of the No. 1 pick in the draft in Myles Garrett of Texas A&M and Jonathan Allen of Alabama. Garrett has all the tools to step in and become an impact player from the start, because he has the skills, drive, size and strength to become a dominating pass-rusher, and he is also quite accomplished when playing against the run.
The 6'5", 270-pound Garrett excels at using his hands to land a series of blows to beat blockers before making his way into the backfield. The ability to ruin plays like that can help the Browns improve a defense that ranked 31st in yards allowed last year.
Allen may be as good or even better against the run than Garrett. The 6'2", 295-pound Allen has the size and thickness to completely stuff the ground game, and he has plenty of quickness and plays with leverage when going after the quarterback.
There's a good chance that either one of those players has a chance to win the battle and dominate early in their their careers.
That would be a winning proposition for the Browns, because notable improvement along the defensive line would upgrade all areas of the defense. A defensive end who can shut down the running game and get after the passer takes pressure off the linebackers and defensive backs.
But the Browns, San Francisco 49ers and Chicago Bears all have to upgrade their quarterback play, and all three teams have to consider the quarterbacks who have a chance to be selected early in this draft.
Mitch Trubisky of North Carolina, DeShaun Watson of Clemson and DeShone Kizer of Notre Dame are the top quarterbacks in this draft, but there is no proof that any of them will step in and become game-changing winners right from the start.
Trubisky had a wonderful 2016 season for the Tar Heels, and he is coming off a top season that saw him complete 304 of 447 passes for 3,748 yards with 30 touchdowns and six interceptions. Trubisky also has the size that scouts are looking for at 6'3" and 220 pounds.
The problem for Trubisky is a lack of experience. While he started every game for North Carolina in 2016, he did not start earlier in his career, and that has to be disconcerting to any team that is giving him strong consideration with their first-round pick.
That's not the case with Watson, who led the Tigers to the national championship this season as a result of their victory over Alabama in the title game. Watson and his teammates played a heroic game against the Crimson Tide the year before in losing the title game, and they were even better the second time around.
Watson is clearly a winning player and a wonderful leader, but he has thrown 30 interceptions the last two seasons. Scouts, coaches and general managers have to determine whether this problem can be fixed easily with a minor change in his technique or whether it will dog him in his early years.
Kizer probably has the strongest arm of the three quarterback candidates, but he has not been a consistent performer at any point in his college career. Scouts are also concerned about his maturity, which would impact his ability to become a leader at the next level.
Mike Williams of Clemson should be one of the top wide receivers selected in this year's draft. Williams was on the receiving end of many Watson throws this season, as he caught 98 passes for 1,361 yards and 11 touchdowns. He also has the kind of size at 6'3" and 225 pounds that will allow him to win the battle on 50-50 balls over all but a few defensive backs.
Running back Dalvin Cook of Florida State could also go in the top 10 this year, and that may have as much to do with the success the Dallas Cowboys had in drafting Ezekiel Elliott as it does with Cook's considerable talent.
Elliott was the No. 4 pick in the draft last spring, and he finished as the league's leading rusher. Cook has a non-stop motor, and he rushed for 4,464 yards and 46 touchdowns in three seasons with the Seminoles.
Cook is not a huge man at 5'11" and 213 pounds, but he packs a punch on first contact, and there doesn't seem to be any reason to downgrade him.
Safety Jabrill Peppers of Michigan is one of the top athletes in this year's draft. He looked like a remarkable football player for the Wolverines, as he was a big-time hitter in the secondary, was a fine return man on special teams and demonstrated that he can play on the offensive side as well.
However, there are questions about his ability to cover top wide receivers, and that could give some teams pause before selecting him in the first round.