At long last, we have our answer.

Cleveland's twisting, twirling and wholly unpredictable path toward the first-overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft reached its final destination Thursday night with the selection of quarterback Baker Mayfield. The Browns then elected not to trade out of the No. 4 pick -- as many speculated -- choosing instead to pick Ohio State cornerback Denzel Ward.

Erasing months of speculation that USC's Sam Darnold or Wyoming's Josh Allen would land at No. 1, Browns general manager John Dorsey opted for Mayfield, the Oklahoma signal-caller who doubles as the draft's most-accurate passer.

Mayfield has been dinged by some for his 6-foot-1 stature, but the Heisman Trophy winner finished his college career as the most efficient arm in NCAA history, sporting a titanic passer rating of 131.1 to go along with a 69.8 completion percentage over 40 appearances as a Sooner.

"Mayfield might lack ideal size, but I love his accuracy, playmaking skills and toughness," wrote former pro scout and current NFL Media draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah. "He has the tools to be a quality NFL starting quarterback early in his career."

If Darnold is viewed as the safer option, Mayfield gives Dorsey and the Browns an electric performer who draws praise for his on-field fire, savvy and skill set -- but also concerns from some about his maturity.

"Guys have his back. He's a little bit obnoxious but he's very high energy," one NFL scout told longtime beat writer Bob McGinn of BobMcGinnFootball.com. "If he's on the other team you [bleep] hate him. If he's on your team you love him."

Dorsey must feel comfortable with Mayfield's overall makeup, confidently telling ESPN's Josina Anderson prior to the draft: "If you have certain blemishes on your track record, I want to meet you face-to-face. I want to see what lies within your soul and I'll find out within 15 minutes if you have a soul or not!"

Winding up in Cleveland, Mayfield will now be asked to make good on his promise to turn this long-suffering organization into a club that goes punch-for-punch with the Steelers, Bengals and Ravens in the AFC North.

"If it's anybody's going to turn around that franchise, it'd be me. To be able to put them in the right direction," Mayfield said of the Browns at the Scouting Combine. "They're close. They have the right pieces. Just need one guy at quarterback to make that difference."

The Browns kept this decision under wraps until the end, with Mayfield's name emerging in the eleventh hour after weeks of chatter suggesting Darnold or Allen would wind up in Cleveland.

The front office, though, always had its Mayfield supporters. In-house draft consultant Scot McClouhan, the former Redskins and 49ers general manager, has touted Mayfield for months, comparing the young passer to Brett Favre, a correlation that took on a life of its own leading up to Thursday night:

Good luck tonight....and remember to send my Jorts back tomorrow. ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ Brett Favre (@BrettFavre) April 26, 2018

In Cleveland, Mayfield will be given time to grow behind veteran Tyrod Taylor. Browns coach Hue Jackson has already named Taylor, the former Bills starter, as the team's No. 1 quarterback. These pre-draft promises often become dust, but the Browns are under no pressure to shove Mayfield into the fire. Instead, they can grow him behind the scenes and help him adjust to life in a pro-style offense.

"He's been a guy who's played at a high level, an all-star level, as a collegian," NFL Network's Bucky Brooks recently said on the Move the Sticks Podcast. "And the things that come to mind when I watch Baker Mayfield: feisty, gritty, tough, alpha-dog competitor, a guy who is accurate and decisive with the ball and, more importantly, he's a winner. He's a guy who's played on big stages and come through and delivered for his team."

Said Jeremiah: "I'll start with just how quick he is. Everything's quick in the pocket. Quick feet. He's got a nice, quick stroke. He can make every throw. Arm-talent-wise ... getting a chance to see him live for the first time, whatever concerns you may have had -- "OK, he's a smaller guy, can he really spin it?" -- this dude can spin it. I mean, you see him throw with velocity, he can drive the ball outside the hash."

Dorsey has been lashed by some as a meat-and-potatoes FOOTBALL GUY destined to pivot the franchise away from the analytics-based approach previously embraced by jettisoned VP of football operations Sashi Brown.

The choice of Mayfield, though, suggests otherwise. The former Oklahoma star recorded the second-highest AIQ -- Athletic Intelligence Quotient -- among of 63 quarterbacks since 2012, per The MMQB's Robert Klemko.

Analytics nerve-center Pro Football Focus also tabbed Mayfield as the draft's top passer, writing: "From a pure production standpoint, Mayfield has been in another class, and he has the necessary NFL tools despite questions about his height. He owns the two top PFF grades since 2014 and he possesses the arm, accuracy and playmaking ability to be the best quarterback in the class."

PFF credited Mayfield with the "lowest percentage of negatively graded throws in the nation for two straight years," while leading the NCAA in "big-time throw percentage" in 2018.

For all the handwringing, it's fair to wonder if Dorsey and Sashi Brown would have ultimately selected the same quarterback on Thursday night.

Beyond the front office, pressure now falls on Jackson to finally flip the switch on a team with one lonely win over the past two seasons. Jackson overtly complained about the lack of veteran talent under Brown's watch, an issue Dorsey addressed right away this offseason during the team's aggressive free-agency rampage.

Whether its Taylor or Mayfield under center for the Browns in 2018, Cleveland's surrounding cast is beginning to take shape. Beyond a deep quarterback room, the Browns house a cast of skill-position players lead by Josh Gordon, Jarvis Landry and Corey Coleman at wideout; David Njoku at tight end; and Carlos Hyde and Duke Johnson in the backfield. The offensive line is one of the better on paper, even after the loss of iconic left tackle Joe Thomas.

Jackson has plenty of young talent to work with, starting with a pair of exciting and talented quarterbacks. Taylor for today; Mayfield for tomorrow.

If Dorsey's plan clicks, the Browns -- a team mired in pitch-black darkness since 1999 -- have the chance to roll as a watchable, intriguing outfit come September.

Imagine that.</s>It appears the Browns will take Baker Mayfield with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft.

Baker Mayfield has been one of the most intriguing names to follow throughout the course of the 2018 NFL Draft process. He has seen his name rise and fall in mock drafts and seems to be hitting his peak at the right time.

According to a report from ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Cleveland Browns are currently expected to take Mayfield with the No. 1 overall pick.

Last season with the Oklahoma Sooners, Mayfield put together a massive season. He completed 70.5 percent of his pass attempts for 4,627 yards, 43 touchdowns, and just six interceptions. Mayfield also ran for 311 yards and five touchdowns throughout the course of the season.

At the end of the season, Mayfield was awarded the Heisman Trophy. He deserved the award and his numbers backed it up. Now, heading into the NFL, Mayfield may be the first player of all prospects to hear his name called in the draft.

Cleveland has been expected to take a quarterback with the No. 1 overall pick in the draft. Many have talked about Sam Darnold, Josh Allen, and Josh Rosen as potential selections, but lately, Mayfield’s name has been the one coming up the most. Schefter made it clear that no one knows what the Browns are doing for sure, but that many around the league believe that Mayfield will end up being their pick.

Also, how can you not love a quarterback that goes to extreme detail to replicate a famous Brett Favre draft photo?

It will be interesting to see what Mayfield would be able to do for the Browns moving forward. Cleveland went out and made big moves this offseason, acquiring quarterback Tyrod Taylor from the Buffalo Bills. They also traded for star wide receiver Jarvis Landry, who will form a lethal duo with Josh Gordon.

Mayfield may not end up starting as a rookie, but he would be given the chance to give Taylor a run for his money. If the Browns end up taking someone else at No. 1, many are projecting Mayfield to be taken by the New York Jets with the No. 3 overall pick. New York currently has Josh McCown and Teddy Bridgewater on their quarterback depth chart.

Hue Jackson and company may have just gone through a winless season, but things are beginning to turn around. Mayfield’s leadership and antics might be exactly what the Browns need to get back into postseason contention.</s>With the number one pick in the NFL draft, the Cleveland Browns select Oklahoma QB Baker Mayfield. (0:33)

The Cleveland Browns surprised the NFL world by making quarterback Baker Mayfield the first overall pick in the draft Thursday night.

The Browns had been expected to take a quarterback and had insisted Mayfield was under consideration through the pre-draft process. Most speculation still centered on USC's Sam Darnold and Wyoming's Josh Allen, but momentum for the Browns' favoring Mayfield started to build in the last few days.

Cleveland also had the fourth pick Thursday and used it to select Denzel Ward, a cornerback from Ohio State.

Mayfield, who had a stellar college career at Oklahoma but also made headlines with his behavior on and off the field, will be tasked with turning around a Browns team that went 0-16 last season.

Mayfield joins a roster that has Tyrod Taylor as the starting quarterback and Drew Stanton as the backup. The Browns hope to play Taylor this season, allowing Mayfield time to learn and grow. Mayfield, though, said at the scouting combine he would never "settle" for a backup role.

The Browns have not made the playoffs since 2002, which is the longest active drought in the NFL. Since returning to the NFL in 1999, the Browns have had 28 different starting quarterbacks -- the most in the league during that span.

Mayfield led FBS with a 70.5 completion percentage in 2017, and he set a single-season record by averaging 11.5 yards per attempt. He threw for 4,627 yards with 43 touchdowns and just six interceptions.

But Mayfield also garnered negative attention in recent years for his on-field antics, which included making an inappropriate gesture toward Kansas' sideline and planting Oklahoma's flag on Ohio State's logo at the 50-yard line after the Sooners' victory over the Buckeyes.

Mayfield also was arrested last year in Arkansas on charges of public intoxication, disorderly conduct, fleeing and resisting arrest. He reached a plea deal last June and paid fines for several of the charges.

Throughout the draft process, the Browns said they felt Mayfield had admitted to his mistakes and they were behind him. Browns general manager John Dorsey even joked with Mayfield at the team's combine interview, asking how he liked food trucks, a reference to the February 2017 arrest that took place near food trucks.

Mayfield, who is from Austin, Texas, transferred from Texas Tech to Oklahoma after his freshman season. During his college career, he threw for 14,607 yards and had 131 touchdown passes and 30 interceptions. He also rushed for 21 TDs and caught another during his college career.</s>ARLINGTON, Texas - The Cleveland Browns drafted Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield with with the first pick Thursday in the 2018 NFL Draft at AT&T Stadium in Arlington.

The New York Giants picked second and selected Saquon Barkley, a running back from Penn State University.

The New York Jets picked third.

The Browns also held the fourth overall pick in the draft.

The Houston Texans do not have a pick until the third round, but trades are always a possibility during the draft.

Here is a list of draft picks:

Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.</s>(AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki, FIle). FILE - In this Oct. 7, 2017, file photo, Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) leaps over Iowa State defensive back De'Monte Ruth, bottom, in the second quarter of an NCAA college football game in Norman, Okla. Mayfield ...

(AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File). FILE - In this Jan. 1, 2018, file photo, Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield celebrates after running back Rodney Anderson scored a touchdown against Georgia during the first half of the Rose Bowl NCAA college football gam...

BEREA, Ohio (AP) - The Cleveland Browns believe all Baker Mayfield has in common with Johnny Manziel are height and a Heisman.

After months of dissection and debate, the Browns selected Mayfield, Oklahoma's cocky and charismatic quarterback with the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL draft on Thursday, a somewhat surprising selection by a team that figured to play it safe with such an important decision.

But coming off a 0-16 season, the Browns are betting that Mayfield is a better player than USC's Sam Darnold, Wyoming's Josh Allen or UCLA's Josh Rosen, a talented group regarded as the top QB class in years.

The Browns followed Mayfield's selection with another surprise, taking Ohio State cornerback Denzel Ward. Cleveland was thought to be high on North Carolina State defensive end Bradley Chubb, but instead opted for the speedy Ward, who skipped his senior season with the Buckeyes to turn pro.

Mayfield may have been college football's top player last season, when he passed for 4,627 yards, 43 touchdowns and won the Heisman Trophy. But the 23-year-old is undersized (he's just over 6-foot), and there are questions about his character following a 2017 arrest and some on-field antics which included him grabbing his crotch in a game at Kansas.

Those antics have led to the inevitable comparisons to Manziel, who was selected by the Browns in the first round in 2014 and flopped on the field while partying his way out of the league.

New Browns general manager John Dorsey has been enamored with Mayfield for some time, and believes his competitiveness and will eventually resolve the team's decades-long quarterback dilemma. Cleveland has started 28 QBs since 1999.

Last week, Dorsey defended Mayfield's character and called him "a pleasant fella. He is pretty sharp. He is fine. I have no problems with him."

Still, Mayfield was seen as a longshot to go to the Browns before word leaked out in recent days that Dorsey had the support of assistant GM Eliot Wolf and Scot McCloughan, the former 49ers and Redskins GM now working with Cleveland as a consultant, to make the pick.

Mayfield, who went 33-6 as a three-year starter for the Sooners, is the fifth quarterback taken in the first round by the Browns in their expansion era - and first since Manziel.

And although he may be Cleveland's quarterback of the future, the present belongs to Tyrod Taylor, who was acquired by the Browns in a trade from Buffalo. Coach Hue Jackson has already said Taylor is his starter in 2018, and the plan is for any rookie to sit and learn.

That might be tough for Mayfield, who walked on at Texas Tech but left the school before transferring to Oklahoma, where he became a legendary player and smashed most of the school's career passing records.

It might be daunting to join a team that has gone 1-31 the past two seasons and hasn't made the playoffs since 2002. But at this year's NFL combine, Mayfield said he's the man for the Browns.

"I think if anybody's going to turn that franchise around it would be me," he said. "They're close. They're very close. They have the right pieces. I think they just need one guy, a quarterback to make that difference."

This is the second straight year the Browns have picked first. Cleveland addressed a major defensive need and selected defensive end Myles Garrett with the first overall pick a year ago.

But while Garrett is quiet and somewhat introverted, Mayfield craves attention and loves the camera.

On the eve of the draft, Mayfield re-created an iconic photo of Brett Favre lying in his home bedroom when the future Hall of Fame quarterback got the phone call from the Atlanta Falcons in 1991 that they had drafted him.

Mayfield copied details in Favre's photo right down to wearing jean shorts. He's also the subject of a new documentary series entitled, "Behind Baker", which has given fans a closer look at his life leading up to the draft.

For more AP NFL coverage: https://pro32.ap.org and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL

Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.</s>The Cleveland Browns went with former Oklahoma QB Baker Mayfield for the very first pick of the 2018 NFL draft and former Ohio State cornerback Denzel Ward for their No. 4 selection.

Reaction from Browns fans was mixed after both early picks were announced, but at least they have the support of some of their new teammates. Cleveland players shared some of their reactions on Twitter.

Here's the reaction from the team, starting with Myles Garrett's pretty perfect GIF:

What time does the 2018 NFL Draft start?

Hue Jackson compared Baker Mayfield to the Pied Piper and now I'm just confused

Ranking the 9 best quarterback prospects in the 2018 NFL draft</s>After months of speculation largely centered around USC’s Sam Darnold and Wyoming’s Josh Allen, the Cleveland Browns stunned nearly everyone by instead making Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft.

Mayfield rumors gained major traction very late in the draft process, but most mock drafts still projected Darnold as the selection.

Browns GM John Dorsey did a masterful job of keeping everyone, including his own family, in suspense over what decision he would make. Ultimately Dorsey tabbed the Sooner standout, who is known for his brash on-field persona and record-setting accuracy to all ranges of the field.</s>The Cleveland Browns selected former Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield first overall in the 2018 NFL draft on Thursday evening.

Mayfield (6-1, 215 pounds) is coming off a season in which he won the Heisman Trophy, an award given to college football’s best player each year. Mayfield took home Heisman honors after completing 70.5 percent of his passes for 4,627 yards with 43 touchdown passes against just six interceptions as a senior.

Mayfield ran the 40-yard dash in 4.84 seconds and the 20-yard shuttle in 4.28 seconds at the NFL combine earlier this offseason. Leading up to the draft, Mayfield was considered the fourth-best quarterback in this year’s class, according to Draft Wire’s Luke Easterling.

Mayfield may be a bit shorter than prototype NFL quarterbacks, but he’s proven that he can put up big-time numbers.

During his three years at Oklahoma, Mayfield completed 69.8 percent of his passes for 12,292 yards with 119 touchdowns against 21 interceptions. He transferred to the Sooners after spending one season at Texas Tech, where he was a walk-on in 2013.</s>The Cleveland Browns select Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Baker Mayfield of Oklahoma first in the NFL draft

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The Cleveland Browns select Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Baker Mayfield of Oklahoma first in the NFL draft.</s>ARLINGTON, Texas >> The Latest on the NFL draft (all times local):

ARLINGTON, Texas >> The Latest on the NFL draft (all times local):

The Washington Redskins addressed their leaky run defense by taking Alabama defensive tackle Da’Ron Payne with pick No. 13.

The 320-pound Payne was the anchor of Alabama’s national championship defense last season, and the second Crimson Tide player taken in the first round.

This is the 10th straight season Alabama has had a first-round pick. Only Miami at 14 from 1994-2008 has had one longer.

Tampa Bay has plugged a major hole in its defensive line with nose tackle Vita Vea.

The Buccaneers had traded down from seventh to 12th — Buffalo grabbed Wyoming quarterback Josh Allen in that deal — and found a 6-foot-4, 345-pound man-mountain adept at stopping the run. At Washington, he often occupied or even overpowered more than one blocker.

He’ll team with Tampa’s longtime defensive tackle, Gerald McCoy, in an attempt to improve a defense that ranked last in the league in 2017.

The Miami Dolphins had a top-10 talent fall to them at No. 11 and took Alabama defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick.

The versatile All-American played safety, cornerback and nickel back in three seasons with the Crimson Tide and was one of coach Nick Saban’s favorite players.

UCLA quarterback Josh Rosen slipped a bit, but the Arizona Cardinals jumped up to No. 10 to get him.

Arizona traded with Oakland to get the 10th overall pick, moving up from No. 15.

Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer retired after the season. Arizona also signed former Vikings quarterback Sam Bradford, who missed most of last season with an injury.

The San Francisco 49ers bolstered their offensive line, picking tackle Mike McGlinchey from Notre Dame at No. 9.

McGlinchey was the second Fighting Irish lineman to go in the top 10 after Quenton Nelson went to the Colts.

The Chicago Bears selected Georgia linebacker Roquan Smith with pick No. 8.

Smith was an All-American and Butkus Award winner for the Bulldogs in 2017.

The Buffalo Bills traded up to No. 7 to take Wyoming quarterback Josh Allen, a 6-foot-5, strong-armed passer.

Allen had no major scholarship offers out of college and went to junior college before spending two seasons at Wyoming.

He needs some seasoning and to work on accuracy, but he could sit behind AJ McCarron in Buffalo for a year or two.

The Colts grabbed the best blocker in the draft, Notre Dame guard Quenton Nelson at No. 6.

The Colts had traded down from No. 3 with the New York Jets.

Indianapolis took Nelson to help protect quarterback Andrew Luck, who missed all of last season with a shoulder injury.

Bradley Chubb of North Carolina State, seen as the best pass rusher in this draft, was selected fifth overall by Denver.

Once Cleveland, with its second selection in the top four, went for Ohio State cornerback Denzel Ward, it left the dynamic Chubb for the Broncos.

Chubb will bolster a defense that already has one star in linebacker Von Miller. Denver ranked third in overall defense last season, but GM John Elway couldn’t pass on a game-changing end.

The Browns surprised the experts again, picking Ohio State cornerback Denzel Ward No 4 overall.

After passing over more classic quarterbacks to take Oklahoma’s Baker Mayfield with the top pick, Cleveland skipped over North Carolina State defensive end Bradley Chubb, the top pass rusher in the draft, to grab the top cornerback.

The New York Jets, another of the NFL teams desperate for a franchise quarterback, chose Sam Darnold with the third pick Thursday night.

The Jets had traded up from sixth overall with Indianapolis with the expressed mission of finding that quarterback. Southern California’s Darnold, who had a superb 2016 season and was not quite so productive last year, was the choice.

Darnold might sit a while and learn behind veteran Josh McCown.

“There’s nothing better than being on this state,” Darnold said. “I think whatever the coaches what me to do, if they want me to sit, want me to play, I’ll do my role. That’s what I’ve done my whole life, not going to do any different.”

The New York Giants selected Penn State running back Saquon Barkley with the second pick in the 2018 NFL draft.

The All-American with speed, power, shiftiness and excellent hands is considered this year’s best player. New York has had one of the NFL’s worst running games in recent years, and Barkley is expected to boost an offense that has a veteran quarterback in Eli Manning and star receiver in Odell Beckham Jr.

“It’s unreal, two of the biggest moments in my life in the same week,” said Barkley, whose girlfriend gave birth to a girl earlier in the week.

Not surprisingly in the Cowboys’ home, the pick generally was booed.

Baker Mayfield, until the past few days considered an outsider to be chosen at the top of the NFL draft, has been taken by the Cleveland Browns to begin Thursday night’s selections.

The first Heisman Trophy winner taken No. 1 overall in the following draft since Cam Newton went to Carolina in 2010, Mayfield joins a team that went 0-16 in 2017.

The Browns were sold on his leadership skills and creativity inside the pocket and outside.

Most prognosticators pegged another quarterback, perhaps Josh Allen, Sam Darnold or Josh Rosen, for the Browns.

Instead, it’s the Oklahoma star —the Sooners went 34-6 with him— who overwhelmingly won the Heisman Trophy last season. He is the eighth winner of the award selected first in the NFL draft following that season since 1970.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell will be accompanied by two Hall of Fame quarterbacks who won multiple Super Bowl titles with the Dallas Cowboys, along with one of their former receivers, when he takes the stage to open the NFL draft.

Quarterbacks Roger Staubach and Troy Aikman, and former Cowboys receiver Drew Pearson are all former winners of the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award that recognizes an NFL player for his excellence on and off the field.

Staubach led the Cowboys to Super Bowl titles during the 1971 and 1977 seasons, the latter of those years with Pearson leading the NFL in receiving yards. Aikman was the quarterback when Dallas won three Super Bowl titles in a span four seasons in the first half of the 1990s.

This is the first time the NFL draft is being held in a stadium.

Staubach, Pearson and Aikman played their home games with the Cowboys at Texas Stadium in Irving, the team’s previous home that no longer stands. The Cowboys moved into $1.3 billion AT&T Stadium in Arlington nine years ago.

For one Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback, the QB to concentrate on in this draft is Baker Mayfield.

That’s hardly a surprise when the speaker is Roger Staubach, the 1963 trophy winner who won two Super Bowls with the Dallas Cowboys and is in the Pro Football Hall of Fame .

After all, his nickname was “Roger the Dodger.”

“There’s something about Mayfield that’s interesting,” Staubach says. “He does some funky things, seems to be a leader, and they like him. He can move around and find people who come open. In the NFL, you have to do that.”

As Staubach did in one of the more storied careers. After playing for Navy, he spent four years in active duty, including a tour in Vietnam. After spending two weeks at the Cowboys’ training camp in California the year before getting out of the service, he was told by coach Tom Landry that the team was eager to have him back the next season.

From there, Staubach led the Cowboys to the top of pro football in an 11-year career in which he went 85-29 as a starter.

Speaking today to current and former military members at a draft event held by USAA, the official military appreciation sponsor of the NFL, Staubach offered some advice to the audience — and to the players headed to the NFL.

“The qualities you need to succeed in the military are the same as you need to succeed in sports, in the NFL,” he says.

“Integrity, hard work, teamwork. Those are all the attributes companies are looking for. Take advantage of the qualities you have.

“You must work hard at it. Of course, for the NFL you must have the talent. But if you have the talent and don’t work at it, someone with less talent will go past you.

“The service taught me and all of us to learn about teamwork and hard work. It takes a lot of unspectacular preparation to get spectacular results.”

The NFL has renewed an exclusive partnership with Amazon Prime Video for digital streaming of Thursday night games during 2018 and 2019 seasons.

Amazon will stream the 11 Thursday night games broadcast by FOX this season. Those games are also simulcast on NFL Network and distributed in Spanish on FOX Deportes.

Through the streaming deal with Amazon, the broadcasts will be available to more than 100 million Amazon Prime members worldwide in more than 200 countries and territories.

“Having over 100 million Amazon Prime members provides a massive platform to distribute Thursday Night Football digitally, not only to our fans in the United States but also around the world,” said Brian Rolapp, chief media and business officer for the NFL.

With 10 Thursday night games and one on Christmas last year, Amazon built on the audience Twitter had in 2016 in the first year of streaming on Thursday nights. The average per-minute audience for the 11 games hit 310,000, a 17 percent increase from Twitter’s numbers.

Bradley Chubb jokes that he’s changed positions for this draft and is now a quarterback.

In reality, the North Carolina State standout is probably the best defensive prospect in this draft. When you get past all the hype for QBs, much of the first round will be devoted to guys on that side of the ball.

“Yeah, don’t forget about us,” he says with a smile.

Chubb can do it all — stop the run, pass rush, shoot gaps, block passes and kicks. Some believe he is a better player than Myles Garrett, who was the top overall pick last year by Cleveland.

Chubb could wind up with the Browns, bookending the D-line with Garrett. Cleveland owns the fourth overall spot and after taking its quarterback at the top, could go his way.

“That would be awesome,” Chubb said. “I don’t know Myles, but I do know he’s a great player.”

As for sending some love the defenders’ way, Chubb reasons it will be coming.

“I feel like I got a spotlight now,” he says as reporters gather around for his views on the proceedings. “There are so many great players who can go into an organization and change it. I hope to be one.”

Don’t look for many wide receivers to be selected high in this draft.

Indeed, only Alabama’s Calvin Ridley seems sure to go in the first round, and he comes from a run-oriented offense.

Recent history shows that wideouts are not particularly wise choices until deeper into the proceedings.

Consider that in the past three years, the likes of Phillip Dorsett, Breshad Perriman, Kevin White, Laquon Treadwell, Josh Doctson, Corey Coleman, Mike Williams, Corey Davis and John Ross have gone in the opening round. Anybody seen or heard much from any of them so far in their NFL careers?

After evaluating the receivers on his roster, Browns general manager John Dorsey said: “Then you have to let the other young guys fight out for their roster spot. Who’s to say? We may get a receiver or two in this draft.”

Guaranteed it won’t be with the first and fourth overall spots Cleveland owns.

Former Wyoming quarterback Josh Allen has apologized for a series of offensive tweets he sent while in high school.

The potential No. 1 NFL draft pick apologized for the now-deleted tweets to ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith less than 24 hours before the draft.

Yahoo! Sports reported Allen sent the tweets in 2012 and 2013 and they contained racially insensitive language and offensive statements.

Allen told Smith he was parroting rap lyrics and catchphrases from TV and pop culture. In his apology, Allen told Smith he was “young and dumb” at the time.

According to ESPN, the tweets were removed from Allen’s account when it was vetted in January.

Wyoming coach Craig Bohl says Allen had “great relationships with his teammates and our fan base.” The coach adds in his statement that while at Wyoming Allen “embraced diversity.” Says Bohl: “We wish him all the best on his big night.”

This isn’t just the year of the quarterback in the NFL draft. It’s the century of the QB.

The previous time a quarterback wasn’t selected in the first round of the NFL draft was 1996, when 41 other players were chosen before the Rams selected Michigan State’s Tony Banks at No. 42.

Banks went 35-43 in eight seasons as a journeyman with the Rams, Ravens, Redskins and Texans.

He was by far the most accomplished of the six quarterbacks selected, two of whom never played in the league and another who never started in the NFL.

Third-rounder Bobby Hoying of Ohio State went 3-9-1 in five seasons for Philadelphia and Oakland.

The Broncos chose Jeff Lewis of Northern Arizona with the 100th overall pick, but this was during the Elway Era and Lewis made zero career starts in two seasons in Denver and two in Carolina.

Another fourth-rounder was Florida State’s Danny Kanell, who would post a 10-13-1 career mark over six seasons with the Giants, Falcons and Broncos.

In the seventh round, the Ravens took John Stark of Trinity International and the Packers selected USC’s Kyle Wachholtz, neither of whom ever played in the pros.

So, that was a total of 48-65-2 for the inglorious QB class of 1996.

There have been 56 quarterbacks selected in the first round since then, including five in 1999. That mark is expected to be matched or maybe broken tonight in Dallas.

The most inspirational story in this NFL draft, bar none, is Shaquem Griffin of UCF.

A standout linebacker for the undefeated Knights, Griffin achieved all of his success despite having no left hand. He wears a prosthetic, yet Griffin stunned onlookers by bench-pressing 225 pounds a staggering 20 times at the combine, then ran the 40-yard dash in 4.38 seconds.

Griffin is fast, hits hard and never stops coming. Will that make him a first-rounder? Probably not, given NFL teams’ concerns with any sort of physical issues for a prospect.

But Griffin, whose brother Shaquill was selected in the third round last year by Seattle, insists there are no drawbacks about him as a pro prospect.

“I don’t see it as a handicap and I have never looked at it that way,” Griffin says. “I hope I am an inspiration for people, to see I can do whatever I want. I haven’t seen anything I couldn’t do. I’m never going to let someone put a label on me.”

NFL personnel people praise Griffin to the sky for his talent, work ethic and fortitude. What they don’t say is how highly they will consider him on their draft board.

Griffin doesn’t like hearing that, though his cheerful demeanor allows him to laugh when told he could be sitting at this draft until Saturday before being selected.

“I don’t have a chip on my shoulder,” Griffin says. “I have chips. I have a bag of chips. Everyone else can have a chip. I need more than that.”

The Houston Texans will be bystanders deep into this draft; their first pick is in the third round, 68th overall.

That doesn’t mean they won’t be paying attention tonight and during the second round Friday. Plus, the man in charge of personnel moves believes the Texans already have achieved a lot in the offseason.

“Part of the process in this player evaluation is mixing the pro scouting element with the college draft process,” says new general manager Brian Gaine.

“As it relates to how we’re going to solve some of the issues on our roster with personnel, we feel like some of the things we did in free agency are going to put us in position in the draft where you’re not going to get forced to have to draft a player based on need.

“The players that we acquired both on the offensive line and in the secondary give us position flexibility within the group, so at least now we feel like we’re in position that if we draft players now, we’re hopefully drafting the best available player in that regard. The best combination of a pick is when you take the best available player that also meets a team need.”

Among Houston’s needs are the offensive line and tight end. Barring an unexpected run on tackles or tight ends, the Texans should find value when they finally get going.

“There are certainly challenges involved with that in terms of getting blue chip talent and blue chip prospects,” Gaines says, “but the focus that I have had and our staff has had here has been we are going to get a chance to get four players in the top 103 in this draft.

“So, if things were standard and we had a first- and second-round pick, a third- and fourth-round pick, that would still give us four players in the top 103.

“Now, although they might not be player 50 or 60, we’re still going to get four players, we believe, in the top 103. So, we’re very positive that we’ll be able to get contributing players at any one of those picks in the third and the fourth round.”

Meanwhile, barring a trade, the Texans will watch.

This year’s deep draft at quarterback lacks just one thing: a consensus top pick.

None of the mock drafts heading into today’s actual NFL draft in Dallas seems to even put them in the same order.

So, let’s see what the quarterbacks themselves think.

All of them say they’re the best of the bunch except for USC’s Sam Darnold, who suggests: “That’s for other people to decide.”

They all unabashedly tout themselves as the best option at QB in this draft.

“I think I’m the best quarterback here,” Rosen has said. “I think every person in this draft should have the exact same answer.”

Allen has said every quarterback has to believe he’s the best because that confidence is the cornerstone of a successful pro career.

“We’re all different, we all have our pluses, our minuses,” Allen says. “But if you don’t have the mindset that you’re the best quarterback in this draft, you’re not going to fare well in this league.”

Mayfield has concurred, saying, “If you don’t have that mindset then something’s wrong.”

When it comes to ranking the quarterbacks, most people have Jackson well behind the so-called “Big Four,” going somewhere in the middle of the first round.

Jackson has just as much confidence as the others, suggesting he’s better than all of them.

“But I don’t really care about what order we’re in,” Jackson has said. “They’re all great quarterbacks, as well. So, I know they feel the same way.”

As the traveling road show that the NFL draft has become settles in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, the league has added a new fan touch: the Inner Circle.

More than 1,600 fans — at least 50 from every franchise — will be in AT&T Stadium for the selections, and the festivities that go with them.

Each team selected its “draft ambassadors,” and the list of attendees ranges from locals who just happen to root for, say, the Eagles or Bills or Jets, to fans who will travel to North Texas (Falcons, Ravens). Many are season ticket holders.

The Inner Circle will feature team rivalry zones and chances for fans to celebrate the club’s selections with NFL players and former team standouts.

Tonight, some of these fans will be visited by their newest team members after they are selected on stage.
In American football, the National Football League starts its draft for the 2018 season, with the Cleveland Browns selecting Baker Mayfield with the first overall pick.