Cleveland Browns: Deshaun Watson Q&A with Rubbing the Rock

The Cleveland Browns may be calling quarterback Deshaun Watson’s name on draft day. We reached out to Rubbing the Rock to learn more about Watson.

People doubt Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson at their own risk.

Many thought he was going to be a minor speed bump for Ohio State in the college football playoffs, but 31 points later they knew the truth.

Those in denial were certain that the mighty Alabama Crimson Tide would put Watson in his place a week later in the National Championship Game. But 420 passing yards, four combined touchdowns and one game-winning drive later, reality struck.

Watson, a three-year starter for the Tigers, is now in the running to be one of the first quarterbacks selected in the 2017 NFL Draft. He completed his collegiate career third in ACC history in total offense, threw 90 career touchdown passes, and is at the top of Clemson’s career list in completion percentage, passer rating and total offense per game.

But, yet, people still doubt him.

To get a better handle on those fears, and learn a bit more about the man who may well be the next quarterback of the Cleveland Browns, we reached out to Anthony Messenger at Rubbing the Rock for some answers.

Anthony was kind of enough to sit down for a virtual Q&A that, if they keep an open mind, might make some Browns fans a little more comfortable about Watson.

Mike Mayock's top 3 cornerbacks are all guys that Deshaun Watson lit up in the playoffs. #Browns pic.twitter.com/YDbr1LLU5R
— Dawg Pound Daily (@dawgpounddaily) April 12, 2017

Question: Deshaun Watson has been criticized as being a “one-read” quarterback. But if your first read is the best option, why not throw it? How fair is that criticism of him?

Anthony: I’d say that criticism is fair given the more simple nature of some of the spread offenses in college football today. That being said, Clemson put a lot on Watson’s plate pre-snap and to a smaller degree post-snap. While he was not asked to go through a progression every time he dropped back, Watson has shown that he is capable of doing so at a high level when asked to.

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Question: There has also been talk that Watson was only good because of his wide receivers. How much truth is there?

Anthony: To be frank there’s not much truth to that at all. Clemson’s talent at wide receiver certainly helped Watson be successful; however, during his breakout season as a sophomore, Watson was without first-round talent Mike Williams. Despite lacking a true deep threat, Watson lead the Tigers to a 14-1 season and nearly defeated Alabama for the 2015 National Championship. I will say that during this past season, Williams did bail Watson out on a few occasions because of his absurd catch radius.

Question: What sets Watson apart from the other quarterbacks in this draft class?

Anthony: Watson’s poise in big games is what sets him apart from the rest of the quarterbacks in this draft class. No other quarterback in the draft has played a slate of games remotely similar to Watson’s. Not only did he play better opponents, but he performed at his best to defeat those opponents.

Question: Why (and how) can Watson succeed where other spread quarterbacks have failed?

Anthony: For Watson to succeed in the NFL he must commit himself to learning the nuances of the game. There is no question that he has a high football IQ, but it goes further than that. I think a majority of spread quarterbacks run into problems because they think they can out-athlete defenses. In college that may have worked, but it won’t in the NFL. The spread quarterbacks who do succeed in the NFL learn when to use their legs and when to cut their losses. For instance, Marcus Mariota, Derek Carr and most recently, Dak Prescott.

Question: Are the Browns going to regret it if they don’t select Watson?

Anthony: I believe the Browns will regret it if they don’t select Deshaun Watson. It is very easy to fall in the trap of overthinking a prospect. At one point in the history of man-kind, NFL Draft experts were clamoring about Ryan Leaf being a better prospect than Peyton Manning. While Watson’s situation is far different from Manning’s, it shows the chaos that is the NFL Draft.

Next: Browns draft profile: Deshaun Watson

Watson may not have the biggest arm in the world and he has things to clean up fundamentally but, he has displayed above-average arm strength, accuracy and an ability to win at the highest level. Watson is without a doubt the best leader of any of the quarterbacks in this draft as well.

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