Matthew Stafford is currently in an exclusive club as the only man on the planet drafted No. 1 overall by an 0-16 NFL team. The Detroit Lions' quarterback is likely about to greet another club member next week.
Barring an unforeseen trade out of the top spot, the Cleveland Browns will welcome the top selection after a winless season.
Most analysts believe the Browns will take a quarterback No. 1 overall, whether it be Josh Allen, Sam Darnold, Baker Mayfield, or Josh Rosen.
Stafford has some advice if any of those quarterbacks head to the second team ever to go 0-16.
"All you can do is be yourself," Stafford said, via Kyle Meinke of MLive.com. "Just go in there and work hard, show those guys in that locker room what you're about. Whatever it is you're about, it will come out. They'll either accept it or they won't, and you'll go play."
In 2009, Stafford joined a pitiful Lions team that had an aging Daunte Culpepper and Drew Stanton in the quarterback room. It didn't take long for Stafford to win the opening day gig. The 2018 Brownstraded for veteranTyrod Taylor and signed Stanton -- who must love playing for winless teams -- this offseason. Taylor could open training camp as the starter if the rookie drafted isn't ready take the reins out of the gate.
However the situation shakes out, Stafford's advice to any rookie is to continue the work that made him the top selection.
"Some of those guys are going to go to teams all across the board and different, you know, positions as a team, as an organization, as a roster, all of that," Stafford said. "I think the biggest thing you can do is just go be yourself. Be yourself, work hard and let the chips fall as they may. If those guys do that, I think they'll be successful. All those guys are super talented. You watch them play in college football and they do a great job with their teams. Just go out there, and have fun doing it."
Stafford struggled with injuries early in his career but has become the stabilizing factor for a Detroit franchise that has gone from afterthought to above average during his tenure. A Browns club that has been searching for a quarterback this entire millennium would take a Stafford-like career in a heartbeat.
