Cleveland Browns select Jared Goff in Todd McShay’s latest mock draft
By Thomas Moore
ESPN’s Todd McShay has released his second mock draft for 2016 and has the Cleveland Browns selecting Cal quarterback Jared Goff in the first round.
The 2016 NFL Draft will be open with the first round on April 28 in Chicago with the Cleveland Browns holding the second overall selection.
With the news this week that the Browns may be in the market for another young quarterback, ESPN’s Todd McShay released his second mock draft of the season and, with that second pick of the first round, McShay has the Browns selecting Cal quarterback Jared Goff:
"If Joey Bosa is still on the board here for whatever reason, he would be a good option. But quarterback is undoubtedly Cleveland’s top need, and the more tape I study, the more I believe it’s a two-horse race between Goff and North Dakota State’s Carson Wentz for the No. 1 passer. As it stands now — after studying five of Goff’s games this season and four of Wentz’s — the two have identical grades. From Cleveland’s perspective, Goff has a bit more velocity on his fastball to cut through the wind, while Wentz has more experience playing in the cold. Tough call, but I’ll go with Goff for now."
Related: Cleveland Browns draft profile: Jared Goff
That is a switch from McShay’s first mock draft, where he had the Browns selecting Memphis quarterback Paxton Lynch.
More from Dawg Pound Daily
- How the Browns could maximize Nick Chubb in 2023
- Can Deshaun Watson get to Patrick Mahomes level for Cleveland Browns?
- 3 Cleveland Browns who should see an expanded role in 2023 and 1 who should not
- Is Marcus Davenport on the Browns radar in 2023?
- 5 Free agents from Super Bowl LVII Cleveland Browns should target
The 6-foot-4, 215-pound Goff is considered by many to be the top quarterback available after three years as a starter for the Bears. This past season, Goff completed 64.2 percent of his passes for 4,247 yards, while throwing 37 touchdown passes and 13 interceptions (although five of those interceptions came in the game against Utah.)
He followed that up by throwing for six touchdowns and 467 yards against Air Force in the Armed Forces Bowl, leading Cal to its first bowl game win since 2008.
According to his draft profile at NFL.com:
"While Goff is a little leaner in the lower body than teams might like, he has good size, an NFL arm, advanced pocket mobility and the field demeanor of a franchise quarterback. His accuracy and decision making will suffer from occasional lapses, but he displays the tools to become a good starting quarterback with time."
Goff was the first true freshman quarterback in Cal history to start a season opener, and finished his collegiate career completing 977 passes for 12,195 yards and 96 touchdowns with a quarterback rating of 144.
Browns fans will have an opportunity to check out Goff at the NFL Scouting Combine from Feb. 23-29 as he plans to participate in the passing drills at the annual event.
“I’ll do it all,” Goff told Pro Football Talk Live. “I’ll throw and I’ll do it all. I think it’s the right thing to do. I’ve got nothing to hide. Go out there and throw and have some fun.”
Goff, Lynch and North Dakota State’s Carson Wentz are all players that we would expect the Browns to look at if they decide to fill the quarterback position early on in the draft, especially if Bosa, the talented defensive lineman from Ohio State, goes off the board with the first overall selection, currently held by the Tennessee Titans.
Although there is sure to be debate among fans no matter who the Browns select.