Cleveland Browns NFL Draft Profile: Myles Garrett

The Cleveland Browns are expected to draft Myles Garrett at No. 1 overall, so let’s take a look at why Garrett has received so much hype.

There are countless questions surrounding the Cleveland Browns as the team enters the second year of a rebuilding process, but there seems to be one evident truth. And that is the presence of Myles Garrett on the team in 2017.

The Browns haven’t openly announced the intention to take Garrett at No. 1 overall as of right now, nor should they, as they should see what offers come their way. But barring an insane, lopsided deal, Garrett seems to be heading to Cleveland in just over three weeks.

That leaves much of the focus of the continuing private workouts to be on the No. 12 overall pick, which is a spot where the Browns can go in countless different directions.

But Garrett seems to be set to begin looking at real estate in Cleveland, as the only mock drafts that don’t have him coming to Cleveland are those that are just out there to get cheap views.

He will come in and serve as an immediate upgrade for a defensive front that has been improved in the past two drafts. Along with Danny Shelton and Emmanuel Ogbah, Garrett will help the Browns go from being a horrible defense, to one that can consistently rank in the top half of the NFL.

Browns fans have been hearing a lot about Garrett all offseason, so let’s take a look at the player who is expected to be called with the first pick in the NFL Draft.

If you have any questions about Garrett’s physical traits, here is him running his 40-yard dash at his Pro Day. Remember, he his 6-foot-4, 272 pounds.

Garrett is a physical freak who has been the top prospect in this draft for most of the past year. Fans don’t want to just look at his combine stats and say he should be the No. 1 pick, yet his 40-yard dash time, along with his 41-inch vertical jump, affirm his status as the top prospect.

His 31 sacks in three years at Texas A&M illustrate his ability on the line, although it is fair to note that a fair share of these came against teams outside the SEC.

However, he still possesses the skills to be a dominant pass rusher at the NFL level, and should only improve once he is taught better technique, instead of just relying on his physical advantage.

The highlight video above gives a glimpse of his power on the outside, and his ability to get into the backfield right away.

He still needs to work on his technique, which is a point brought up in his draft profile written by Lance Zierlein on NFL.com:

"Relies heavily on tremendous athleticism and explosion. Still learning how to string moves together and work with a pass-rush plan. At times, will take too long to activate counter moves when initial attack has stalled. Effort level appears closely tied to fatigue level at times. As pass rusher, uses hands reactively too often rather than proactively. Gets too cozy with blockers and will ride block for too long. Needs more urgency in disengagement."

The physical tools are there, so Garrett just needs to be taught how to use them effectively. And as he is a smart, high-character individual, there should be no hiccups in the learning process. It also helps that there are other threats along the defensive front, taking the focus off of just Garrett.

Yet with his abilities, it will be hard not to throw a double-team at him all throughout 2017.

Garrett is going to come in and be a starter right away in Gregg Williams’ new defense. He will join forces with Shelton, Ogbah and even Carl Nassib to bring some legitimacy to the defensive front.

The new 4-3 scheme will allow Garrett to thrive in his natural position, becoming a new element for opposing teams to gameplan against. This would be a great pick even if Ogbah and Shelton weren’t on the team, but it helps Garrett’s potential when he isn’t the only threat on defense.

At this point in time, the Browns need to draft the most talented player available at No. 1 overall, regardless of position. And Garrett is that player.

Related: Malik Hooker draft profile

There are the usual fans who want the team to take a quarterback at No. 1 overall, but it wouldn’t make sense, as the top prospects are all going to be available later in the first round. The Browns finally seem to be taking a smart approach, and taking Garrett would continue that track record.

It may be too early to definitively say he is coming to Cleveland, as this is the Browns, but let’s give it a 99.9 percent certainty rating. He has done nothing to warrant the Browns passing on him, and seemingly only needs more guidance to fully unleash the best of his natural abilities.

Next: John Ross draft profile

So while the Browns may pretend like they are still considering offers, Garrett is the clear choice at No. 1 overall. Any other move would be shocking, although Browns fans are used to that by now.