10 Superstars the Cleveland Browns could have drafted since 1999

Superstar Player the Browns Could Have Drafted in 2018

This seems to be a very topical selection for this list as we await the ruling in the Deshaun Watson case as well as where Baker Mayfield will play in 2022. If the Browns took quarterback Josh Allen back in 2018, would they be in this position today? We will never be able to factually say one way or another, but hindsight says that the Browns made the wrong decision, yet again, at the QB position.

Mayfield was the quarterback that was taken with the first overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. Allen fell to the Buffalo Bills at No. 7 and they have reaped the benefits of that tremendously. Allen has helped lead the Bills to the playoffs for the past three seasons. Mayfield went to the playoffs once in his four years in Cleveland.

Not only did the Browns pass on Allen with the first pick, but also the fourth pick, when they drafted cornerback Denzel Ward, which has proven to be a great pick. Obviously, the Browns wouldn’t have drafted Allen after taking Mayfield unless they knew of a team that wanted one or the other and would trade a good amount in order to get one.

You can also make the argument that this position on the list should go to Lamar Jackson, as he is a former NFL MVP, but for the sake of this discussion, it’s Allen solely based on the fact Jackson went 32nd overall to the Ravens.

The passing stats between Allen and Mayfield are very similar. Allen has thrown for 14,114 yards, 103 touchdowns, and 46 interceptions while completing 62.3 percent of his passes. Mayfield has thrown for 14,125 yards, 92 touchdowns, and 56 interceptions, completing 61.6 percent of his passes. Where the two are vastly different is on the ground. Allen has rushed for 2,325 yards and 31 touchdowns in his first four seasons, compared to 571 yards and five scores for Mayfield.

As aforementioned, Allen has led Buffalo to the playoffs each of the past three seasons. The Bills are 3-3 in those playoff games, with an AFC Championship Game appearance in 2020. That same year is the year that Mayfield and the Browns made the playoffs for the first time in 18 years and were this close to upsetting the Chiefs, which would have set up a matchup with the Bills for a chance to go to the Super Bowl.

Allen has taken the next step to not only be the best quarterback from this draft class thus far and some even consider him to be the best in the league overall, putting him ahead of guys like Tom Brady, Patrick Mahomes, and Aaron Rodgers. That’s high praise and hopefully one day, the Browns can have the same things being said of Watson.