In retrospect, Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett was an obvious choice as to which player should headline the 2017 NFL Draft class.
The 2023 AP Defensive Player of the Year recipient has been solid for Cleveland, recording 305 tackles and 88.5 sacks in 100 career games for the Browns.
Yet Garrett was not the original draft choice, former coach Gregg Williams recounted on a recent podcast.
The “Come Get Some” Podcast posted on Twitter purported conversations Williams – the former Browns defensive coordinator for the 2017 and 2018 seasons – had with team management, revealing how close Cleveland was to picking quarterback Mitch Trubisky as the No. 1 overall selection.
“I just want to let everybody in here know, I’m going to have a press conference after this and let them know about the conversations going on here about not taking Myles Garrett,” Williams recalled of his pre-draft conversations.
Two hours before the 2017 NFL Draft, the Browns were preparing to select Mitch Trubisky No. 1 overall.
"I said… I just wanna let everybody in here know, I'm gonna have a press conference after this and let them know about not drafting Myles Garrett."
-Gregg Williams ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/DVqAh4JYLe
— COME GET SOME (@ComeGetSomeShow) April 25, 2024
Williams said that the arguments in the draft room continued until two hours before Cleveland selected Garrett, showing how deeply conflicted the Browns were in selecting the top draft choice.
The defensive coordinator said that the team’s front office had coalesced around Trubisky just before he made his statement to convince Cleveland to take Garrett.
Williams said he’s been proven right with the choice.
Trubisky was drafted by the Chicago Bears with the second overall pick in that draft, going 29-22 as a starting quarterback for the NFC squad.
In Chicago, Trubisky completed 64 percent of his passes for 10,609 yards and 64 touchdowns.
Trubisky left the team after the 2020 season, and the quarterback has bounced between the Buffalo Bills and Pittsburgh Steelers since.
NEXT: Browns Assistant GM Details How Browns Approach Late-Round Draft Picks