The Cleveland Browns hold the No. 1 overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft. After years of woes and uncertainty at the quarterback position, should the team use that pick on Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson? Dabo Swinney believes so.
On Tuesday at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala., Swinney offered insight on his former star quarterback and gave the Browns brass a bit of advice for draft day.
Watch the Reese's Senior Bowl on NFL Network at 2:30 p.m. ET on Saturday.
"(Watson's) humble, the same guy every day and always ready, he comes to every meeting prepared and that's how you change things," Swinney said, per The Plain Dealer. "You change a culture -- for me, it's through discipline and recruiting and staffing and all that stuff - for them, it's decision making, it's who you pick.
"If they pass on Deshaun Watson, they're passing on Michael Jordan," Swinney added, doubling down on previous bullish comments on Watson. "... Deshaun Watson is the best by a long shot."
Watson declined his invitation to the Senior Bowl earlier this month, opting to focus on preparations for next month's NFL Scouting Combine. In addition, the Browns reportedly spoke to the signal-caller and asked him to play, according to The MMQB's Peter King; Watson declined.
Browns coach Hue Jackson said on Sunday that he won't hold Watson's decision against the QB.
Swinney's vote of confidence does bode well for Watson -- though the Browns previously said they wouldn't hold his decision against him. Being compared to one of the top athletes in the world is arguably the highest honor to receive in this process.
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