The Cleveland Browns selected defensive end Myles Garrett of Texas A&M; with the first overall pick in the NFL draft Thursday night, then added two more first-round picks via a pair of trades.

One of them was used on Michigan star Jabrill Peppers, whom coach Hue Jackson later said would be given a chance to play offense.

Jackson called Garrett "as good as I've seen in a while" when he described the first Browns first overall pick since 2000. Cleveland sees Garrett as a key part of an emerging defense for a team that has not been to the playoffs since the 2002-03 season.

The Browns traded out of the 12th spot with the Houston Texans and took Peppers with the 25th pick. In doing that, the Browns passed on bringing quarterback Deshaun Watson to Cleveland; Houston drafted him with the pick.

The Browns concluded the night by trading the No. 33 pick and a fourth-rounder to the Green Bay Packers for the 29th pick, which they used on tight end David Njoku of Miami.

It all added up to a busy night for the Browns, who became the first team since Minnesota in 2013 to pick three players in the opening round. None, though, were quarterbacks, a position of significant need.

"We obviously value the position, but we don't want to force certain positions,'' vice president of football operations Sashi Brown said. "Obviously we have guys here on the roster and we want to give them an opportunity and we will continue to look, but we wanted to make sure we got players we felt good about. We've got a lot of holes to fill on this roster, so this is just about making sure when we get the quarterback it's someone that we all believe in and get behind and move forward.''

Since finishing the 2016 season with a 1-15 record, the Browns had discussed taking either Garrett or ex-North Carolina quarterback Mitchell Trubisky with the No. 1 selection.

Garrett turned out to be the choice, giving Cleveland a much-needed pass-rusher.

"It was really just a weight off of my shoulders to finally just get the announcement that what I have been working for is finally came to fruition and I can actually know where I am going, know who I am going up against and know the schedule," said Garrett, who did not attend the draft in Philadelphia, instead watching with family and friends in Arlington, Texas. "Now it's time to put in that work so I can be prepared to go against the best."

Garrett has received widespread acclaim as a potential defensive standout. He left the Aggies with 31 career sacks and 141 tackles. In his final season, he had 15 tackles for a loss and 8.5 sacks while playing through an ankle injury.

"They picked me because they think they see something in me, and they know that I can help them rebuild and turn this program around," Garrett said. "That's the mindset that we have to have. Starting next year, we can put the pieces together, not only the players but with a mindset that we can actually do this. I know that the players there have that same mindset. I am going to keep that feeling contagious. I'm just prepared for that."

Garrett is 6-feet-4 and 272 pounds, and he ran a 4.64-second 40-yard dash at the NFL scouting combine. His combination of size, speed, quickness and agility has prompted comparisons to Julius Peppers, who has 143.5 sacks in 15 seasons. In fact, Garrett mentioned Peppers -- along with Von Miller, J.J. Watt and DeMarcus Ware -- as the players he most looks up to.

Garrett also has been criticized for not going all-out on every play but said that criticism only has served as motivation.

"It adds more fuel to the fire," he said. "It is burning hot right now."

Garrett joins a Browns defense coached by Gregg Williams that includes Jamie Collins at linebacker, an improving Danny Shelton and Emmanuel Ogbah on the line and Joe Haden at cornerback. Haden praised Garrett earlier this month, calling him "an immediate impact player."

The Browns have needed that pass-rusher. Since the franchise returned to Cleveland in 1999, only three Browns players have recorded 10-plus sacks in a season (Jamir Miller, 13.0 in 2001; Paul Kruger, 11.0 in 2014; Kamerion Wimbley, 11.0 in 2006). That's the fewest players with 10-plus sacks in a season for one franchise during that span.

Cleveland also has needed a quarterback. Since 1999, the Browns have started 26 players at quarterback, most in the NFL in that span.

The Browns might have stayed with the 12th spot if they liked a quarterback there, but when Houston offered first-round picks this year and next, the Browns could not refuse.

"We just thought that the better opportunity was for us to trade back," Brown said, adding it was more a reflection of the Browns wanting to build the roster than it was of Watson.

The Browns did not know that Chicago intended to move up one spot to take Trubisky, and Brown said that any talk of the team calling Washington about a trade for Kirk Cousins was "bad reporting."

The Browns now have traded down out of the second spot in the 2016 draft and out of the 12th spot in 2017. Those picks turned into Carson Wentz and Watson, respectively, but combined with the trade that brought Brock Osweiler to Cleveland, the Browns have two picks in the first round and three in the second round of the 2018 draft.

Brown admitted the team can reach a point where it trades down too much but said that point has not arrived. He said the deal was not made with the intention of making a trade for another veteran, like New England's Jimmy Garoppolo.

"We'll see what comes down the pike in terms of opportunities, but there's no specific deal in place or plan in place to acquire a veteran QB at this point," Brown said.

He conceded that the team's situation at quarterback, with Osweiler and Cody Kessler, is "not solidified."

"We also know that until we get it solidified, we are going to continue looking for players all over the league and in college," Brown said. "That may be in next year's draft. That may be in free agency. It may be via trade. We won't rest until we really solidify that position."

While he can't play quarterback, Peppers can help in a lot of other places.

As a junior in 2016, he primarily played linebacker. He finished fifth in Heisman Trophy voting, won the Paul Hornung Award as the nation's most versatile player and was a consensus All-America selection. Peppers did not play in the Orange Bowl because of a hamstring injury and produced a positive test for a dilute sample at the combine in February. Brown said that Peppers has been accountable.

"He understands that it is something that he has to clean up as we move forward," Brown said.

Peppers says he's willing to play anywhere for the Browns.

"I'm open to do whatever they ask me to do," he said. "I did some things that nobody else did. They are going to get 200 percent out of me."

ESPN Stats & Information reports that Peppers took 29 snaps at quarterback, 12 at receiver and 10 at running back last season for Michigan, something that Jackson noticed.

"First we're bringing him in here to play defense and play special teams," Jackson said. "He's one of the premier special teams players in football. He's a tremendous punt returner and kick returner. So we're going to make sure that he can hit the ground running doing that.

"But there's no question, we'll give him a chance over there on offense, too."

Peppers tweeted early Friday morning about those who have questioned his love for the game, saying he would never fake an injury. Peppers was heavily criticized for not playing in the Orange Bowl -- even Michigan fans were angry.

Speculate on what you want but my love for this game should never be questioned! Never would I fake an injury to miss a game. pic.twitter.com/MLaaqKPzMI — JP5 (@JabrillPeppers) April 28, 2017

Njoku, the former Hurricanes player, led Power 5 tight ends with 480 yards after the catch in 2016. He had multiple receptions in all but one game.

Garrett's selection, meanwhile, marks the fifth time in the past 11 years an SEC player went first overall. Before Thursday, there were only three defensive players selected No. 1 overall in the past 22 drafts (Jadeveon Clowney, Mario Williams and Courtney Brown).

Of the 10 defensive ends drafted No. 1 overall, five have been named first-team All-Pro: Williams, Bruce Smith, Lee Roy Selmon, Ed "Too Tall" Jones and Bubba Smith.

While the Browns' selection of Garrett was expected as of late Thursday afternoon, the draft took a turn for the unexpected after that.

The Chicago Bears traded up a spot to acquire Trubisky, with the San Francisco 49ers dropping down and selecting Stanford defensive lineman Solomon Thomas. The Jacksonville Jaguars made ex-LSU running back Leonard Fournette the fourth pick, and the Tennessee Titans at No. 5 then took Corey Davis, the Western Michigan receiver who is the only player in FBS history with at least 5,000 receiving yards and 50 receiving touchdowns. At No. 6, the New York Jets opted for Jamal Adams, the safety out of LSU.

To round out the top 10, the Chargers took wideout Mike Williams of Clemson; the Panthers selected RB Christian McCaffrey of Stanford; the Bengals snagged speedy Washington wideout John Ross; and the Chiefs traded up with the Buffalo Bills to draft QB Patrick Mahomes of Texas Tech.

Aside from Peppers, two others players who some thought would drop because of recent off-field issues ended up going in the first round. Cornerback Gareon Conley was picked by the Oakland Raiders at No. 24, and the San Francisco 49ers traded up to select linebacker Reuben Foster.</s>PHILADELPHIA (AP) Cleveland Browns select Texas A&M defensive end Myles Garrett with the first pick in the NFL draft.</s>Expect for Myles Garrett’s name to be the first to be called tonight at the NFL draft. There are NFL rumors circulating that the Cleveland Browns are setting up to select the Texas A&M defensive line with the first overall pick. How will it affect the rest of the NFL draft’s top 10 selections? Also, what does it mean for the Browns’ No. 12 pick.

Who the Cleveland Browns were going to select with the first overall pick was a mystery up until the last hour. The Cleveland Plain Dealer’s Mary Kay Cabot was the first to break the news regarding the Browns’ decision to take Myles Garrett with the first of two first round selections.

The Browns taking Garrett should not have been a given. Garrett is the best prospect in the NFL draft according to most draft experts. He is viewed as a cannot miss player, who is ready to contribute immediately. The distance between Garrett and the draft’s second-best player is significant enough. With that said, it was reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter that the Cleveland Browns were debating using the top overall pick on North Carolina quarterback Mitchell Trubisky instead.

The report could have been a case of posturing by the Browns or factual information that was being leaked out. Either way, the timing and depth of the report was curious.

It is no secret that the Cleveland Browns need a franchise quarterback. And having Mitchell Trubisky in the fold would be a huge step in that direction. Some view Trubisky as the top quarterback in this year’s NFL draft class, while others at least have him in the top three on the hierarchy chart.

Now that it is nearly official with the Browns taking Myles Garrett, look for them to trade up using the No. 12 pick (courtesy of ESPN) and their second round choices as bait. If the Browns are able to sneak back into the top 10 of the draft, they will be targeting Trubisky unless a rival team beats them to the punch.

At No. 2 are the San Francisco 49ers. No one knows what they are going to do. With Garrett off the board to the Cleveland Browns, teams who are interested in Mitchell Trubisky or Deshaun Watson may look to acquire the 49ers’ pick. If the 49ers keep the pick, Solomon Thomas may be their guy.

As for the Chicago Bears, who have the third overall pick, they could be in play with the Browns and their desire to trade up. The Bears have several needs and could fill most of them by adding more draft picks. The potential of getting two additional second-rounders, along with the No. 12 pick should be enticing to the Bears.

The Jacksonville Jaguars will virtually unaffected by what has happened with the Browns and the other teams in front of them. Their most glaring need is at running back and defensive depth. This is the possible landing spot for LSU’s Leonard Fournette. That is unless there are any truths to the NFL rumors about the Jaguars thinking about taking a quarterback (courtesy of Jaguars Wire) at No. 4.

The Tennessee Titans and New York Jets are other teams currently in the top 10 which need to be watched. Tennessee is one of the teams which could trade down for more picks, while the Jets can go up or back in the draft.

Every other team which are currently in the top-10 do not appear to be swapping draft positions, but needs of each team is different.

Another running back is expected to join Leonard Fournette in the draft’s top 10 in Stanford’s Christian McCaffrey. Other names expected to be taken are Jonathan Allen, Malik Hooker, Marshon Lattimore and Jamal Adams. Adams and Hooker are primed to be the first two safeties to be ever be selected in the top-10 in the same draft class. Teams interested in quarterbacks could change things dramatically.

The Browns are fixated on Trubisky, as are other teams. Deshaun Watson could go as high as No. 3 to the Chicago Bears. If Trubisky goes early, teams targeting a passer will go after Watson and Pat Mahomes next. At least one of those teams could trade up. Again, that might include the Cleveland Browns.

Look for the Browns to get their trade done and a secret team jumping in on the top-10 NFL draft party.</s>Texas A&M's Myles Garrett takes off his shirt to reveal a Cleveland Browns shirt while standing next to his mother, Audrey Garrett (left) after he was taken as the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft, at Terre Verde Golf Course in Arlington, Texas, Thursday. (Nathan Hunsinger/The Dallas Morning News via AP)</s>The sport that never sleeps is ready for its biggest night of the offseason.

No more mock drafts, no more combines and no more bizarre questions for prospects to figure out how to answer as the NFL Draft is ready to kick off from Philadelphia tonight at 8 p.m. ET.

As is always the case with the NFL Draft, try as we might to glean some insight into how teams are thinking and who might end up where when it’s all said and done, we really don’t know much more today than we did months ago after the NFL season ended.

As a result, we enter tonight’s draft with a handful of questions that we’re seeking answers to.

With the Cleveland Browns on the clock, let’s take a look at some things to watch for tonight as the 2017 NFL Draft gets underway.

1. Who will be the new face of the Cleveland Browns franchise?

The road to redemption for the Cleveland Browns starts tonight… as it has in late April oh so many times of the last few decades. But for real guys, this is the year!

The Browns not only hold the first pick of the 2017 NFL Draft, but they have the 12th pick as well and could shore up two key positions for the foreseeable future before we’re even midway through the first round.

The consensus No. 1 overall pick in this draft is edge rusher/DE Myles Garrett, who scouts seem to have pegged as being as much of a sure thing as any prospect we’ve seen in the draft in recent years.

Still, Cleveland — as they have since the Bernie Kosar days — needs a quarterback.

Could they opt for Mitchell Trubisky from North Carolina? Or perhaps Deshaun Watson out of Clemson with the No. 1 pick?

Or will they grab QB at No. 12?

Sooner than later, all will be revealed.

Cleveland, you’re on the clock. No pressure.

2. Who is the first quarterback off the board, and when will they go?

While Trubisky is the consensus No. 1 prospect at the quarterback position, who the top dog is at the position has been a consistent point of debate amongst most in the know. Deshaun Watson has also made his case thanks to his national championship victory and impressive college career, while Pat Mahomes from Texas Tech and even Davis Webb from California could be taken much higher than many expect.

If Cleveland doesn’t take a QB at No. 1, the 49ers (No. 2), Bears (No. 3), and New York Jets (No. 6) could all snag a quarterback. Beyond them, it’s the Buffalo Bills at No. 10, and then the Browns at No. 12 once more.

At least one of the QBs mentioned above will be taken by the No. 12 overall pick. Who and when, that’s anybody’s guess at this point.

3. How far will Gareon Conley fall?

While the rape allegations surrounding Conley are still just that at this point — allegations — the former Ohio State Buckeyes cornerback has already opted to skip appearing in person at the NFL Draft and NFL teams have to be looking at Conley differently than they did a week ago.

Conley was widely considered the No. 2 cornerback in this year’s draft behind teammate Marshon Lattimore. Some even had Conley going ahead of Lattimore early in the first round.

The unfortunate reality of the situation is that the uncertainty surrounding the allegations will ultimately hurt Conley significantly in terms of compensation depending on how far he falls.

On the flip side, if Conley is innocent as he says he is, a team might get him at a bargain price if he does indeed slip. The question is, which team will risk taking Conley, who could find himself mired in litigation for the foreseeable future.

Regardless of how this turns out, the allegation will hang over Conley’s head and follow him around until it’s cleared up, for better or for worse.

Last year, video of projected Top 5 overall pick Laremy Tunsil circulated of the offensive tackle smoking out of a gas mask-styled bong just minutes before the start of the draft. While Tunsil did slip, his talent eventually won out over the perceived backlash, and he went No. 13 overall to the Miami Dolphins.

4. When will Joe Mixon be taken?

While the “jury” is still out regarding Conley, NFL teams have all the evidence they need regarding former Oklahoma running back Joe Mixon.

Mixon was caught on video striking a woman at a bar and knocking her unconscious, breaking her jaw and cheekbone in the process. Mixon pleaded guilty to assault after the incident in July 2014 and was suspended for his freshman season but didn’t serve any jail time and was instead sentenced to 100 hours of community service.

While legally, the issue is behind Mixon, the stain of the brutal video remains and many teams have gone so far as taking Mixon off of their draft board.

However, Mixon is considered to be one of the most talented running backs — maybe the most talented — in this year’s draft, which as we all know, can supersede almost anything for talent-desperate teams.

Mixon will be drafted, and it could even happen in the first round Thursday night.

The first round of the NFL Draft is pretty much rife with trades and trade speculation. Last year it was the Los Angeles Rams and the Philadelphia Eagles that made splashes by trading with the Tennessee Titans and the Cleveland Browns, respectively, for the No. 1 and 2 overall picks to draft Jared Goff and Carson Wentz.

All told, there were four trades made in the Top 10 picks of the draft and this year we could see a similar number of trades transpire.

The Jets at No. 6 have stated their desire to move down in the draft and acquire more draft picks and teams in the Top 10 will certainly be faced with offers as teams lower down the draft board realize they’ll have to move up to snag a player they like.

This year’s draft also features a lot of depth at key positions, meaning teams will be especially eager to trade out of their higher picks to accumulate more late-round selections as there should be plenty of talent throughout.</s>2017 NFL Draft: Lessons Myles Garrett learned from brother’s miscues helped him become favorite to be picked by Browns at No. 1</s>Berea: Amid some speculation about the Browns possibly stunning the NFL at the start of the draft, they instead did what most people in league circles have long expected, selecting Texas A&M defensive end Myles Garrett first overall Thursday night.</s>The Cleveland Browns have drafted running back David Njoku. We break down the fantasy implications.

Editor’s update: The Browns have released Gary Barnidge. Njoku will be atop the Browns tight end depth chart from day one.

The Cleveland Browns have drafted Miami tight end David Njoku with pick No. 29 in the 2017 NFL draft. The Browns traded their second-round pick (No. 33) and a fourth-round pick (No. 108) to move up and draft Njoku. He joins a tight end depth chart led by Gary Barnidge.

Njoku is widely regarded as the best receiving tight end in this year's draft and has all of the physical tools to be a superstar at the position. He’s still raw and he isn't going to wow you with his blocking ability, but his size and speed will be a nightmare for opposing defenses. Along with blocking, he would do well to work on his hands and route running as he gains more experience at the position.

Fantasy impact: The Browns leading pass catcher in 2016, Terrelle Pryor, departed the team in free agency. That left Barnidge as the team’s leading pass catcher. They signed Kenny Britt in free agency, but they need all the weapons they can get. Njoku will become a favorite of whomever is the quarterback in Cleveland.

Of course, the Browns still don’t have a long-term answer at quarterback. That will limit Njoku’s value initially, but he still has the upside to be a big time producer sooner rather than later. He is a great dynasty option, a solid option in lesser keeper leagues, and is an intriguing sleeper in one-year leagues.</s>Former No. 1 overall pick Bruce Smith (right) presents a Cleveland Browns jersey to Myles Garrett while his mother Audrey (left) and father Lawrence look on at the NFL Players Association’s Myles Garrett Draft Day party at Terra Verde on Thursday, April 27, 2017, in Arlington, Texas.

The first round of the NFL draft is a time for hope. Teams hope to choose players who will make an immediate impact. Players hope to use the process as a launching pad to stardom. And most fans merely hope they won’t rue the day their favorite team botched the first round. With that backdrop, let’s take a look at former college stars who inspired hope Thursday night in Philadelphia.

1. Browns. Defensive end Myles Garrett, Texas A&M. This one was a no-brainer. Regardless of Warren Sapp’s opinion, Garrett is a big-time edge rusher. He can play with his hand down as a 4-3 end or standing up as a 3-4 outside linebacker. He had 32.5 career sacks in college, the sixth-most in SEC history. End of discussion.

2. Bears. Quarterback Mitchell Trubisky, North Carolina. Chicago gave up a ton (the Nos. 67 and 111 picks in this draft, plus a 2018 third-rounder) to swap places with San Francisco. The Bears had better be right about Mitch.

3. 49ers. Defensive end Solomon Thomas, Stanford. New coach Kyle Shanahan has so many holes to fill. Thomas will help a porous defense. He’s smart, strong and agile. That’s the type of player Shanahan likes. And Shanahan also acquired needed picks in the trade with Bears. Sweet.

4. Jaguars. Running back Leonard Fournette, LSU. A great running game is a quarterback’s best friend. Jaguars QB Blake Bortles needs as many friends as he can get. Fournette has that rare combination of power and speed.

5. Titans. Wide receiver Corey Davis, Western Michigan. Tennessee quarterback Marcus Mariota took a big step forward last season. Davis, the all-time FBS leader with 5,285 receiving yards, should help the young passer to continue to move in the right direction.

6. Jets. Safety Jamal Adams, LSU. The Jets turn to Adams, the second LSU player drafted in the top 10, to help improve an absolutely awful pass defense. Adams possesses the type of coverage skills the Jets need.

7. Chargers. Wide receiver Mike Williams, Clemson. Williams teamed with one of college football’s best quarterbacks, Deshaun Watson, at Clemson. Now he gets to work with a top-shelf NFL quarterback in Philip Rivers. Any wideout should be so lucky.

8. Panthers. Running back Christian McCaffrey, Stanford. Even as a top 10 pick, this versatile running back could wind up being one of the steals of the draft. He is the first white tailback drafted in the first round since Penn State’s John Cappelletti went 11th overall to Rams in 1974.

9. Bengals. Wide receiver John Ross, Washington. Dude can fly. Back in March, Ross recorded the fastest 40-yard dash time (4.22) in NFL combine history. Exactly how are opponents supposed to contain Ross and A.J. Green?

10. Chiefs. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes, Texas Tech. Coach Andy Reid had to give up a lot – including a first-rounder in the 2018 draft – to move up and get his quarterback of the future. Mahomes, the son of a former big-league pitcher, is raw, but also so, so talented.

11. Saints. Cornerback Marshon Lattimore, Ohio State. The Saints got it right, selecting a corner who’s capable of playing immediately and playing well. Next up for New Orleans: Go get another 10 defensive players capable of doing the same.

12. Texans. Quarterback Deshaun Watson, Clemson. Ugh. I get that the Browns acquired a 2018 first-rounder for swapping spots with the Texans. But why do I get the feeling Browns fans will rue the day the team passed on Watson? Brown fans rue many days.

13. Cardinals. Linebacker Haason Reddick, Temple. This guy is such a force behind the line of scrimmage, he wakes up with two tackles for loss on his stat sheet. The Cardinals’ defense just got better. Reddick, whose motor matches his talent, is scary good.

14. Eagles. Defensive end Derek Barnett, Tennessee. Eagles fans once famously booed Santa Claus. They have no reason to be upset with team decision-makers about this pick. Barnett is a relentless edge rusher. He broke Reggie White’s school sack record. Chew on that.

15. Colts. Safety Malik Hooker, Ohio State. The Colts have the great Andrew Luck at quarterback, but they have to get him the ball. Indianapolis dips into that talented Buckeyes defensive backfield to bolster a secondary who, well, is in dire need of bolstering.

16. Ravens. Cornerback Marlon Humphrey, Alabama. The Ravens have to get back to being the Ravens, which means dominating on defense. The past two seasons, Baltimore gave up 30 and 28 touchdown passes, respectively, the worst performances in team history.

17. Redskins. Defensive tackle Jonathan Allen, Alabama. Although the Redskins are a mess in the front office and on the field, even they couldn’t botch this one. Allen, who attended high school near the team’s Northern Virginia training facility, fills a big need on the defensive line.

18. Titans. Cornerback Adoree’ Jackson, USC. Titans fans should be very happy with their team’s performance in the first round. After adding Davis at No. 5, the Titans get some help on defense and in the return game. Jackson played a big role in USC’s revival. Fight on!

19. Buccaneers. Tight end O.J. Howard, Alabama. The Buccaneers totally believe in Jameis Winston. They proved it again here by selecting a pass-catching tight end to help their young quarterback. Howard possesses the speed and size to be a matchup nightmare.

20. Broncos. Offensive tackle Garett Bolles, Utah. No one needs to tell Broncos boss John Elway that strong line play is a key to effective QB play. Bolles is the first offensive lineman the Broncos have selected in the first round since Ryan Clady in 2008. That worked out OK.

21. Lions. Inside linebacker Jarrad Davis, Florida. Despite missing four games because of injuries, Davis still ranked among the Gators’ leaders in tackles and tackles for losses. The Lions are counting on him to provide a boost to a defense that must get better.

22. Dolphins. Defensive end Charles Harris, Missouri. Harris makes things happen off the edge: He had 28 QB knockdowns. With Pro Bowler Cameron Wake approaching the end of his career, the Dolphins acquired someone to groom as his eventual replacement.

23. Giants. Tight end Evan Engram, Ole Miss. The Giants have an abundance of riches in their receiving corps. Engram is more like a big wideout than a tight end. He joins wide receivers Odell Beckham Jr., Brandon Marshall and Sterling Shepard. Eli Manning should be pleased.

24. Raiders. Cornerback Gareon Conley, Ohio State. Conley became the third Buckeyes defensive back to be drafted in the opening round. He has been accused of raping a woman in Cleveland but he has not been arrested and no charges have been filed.

25. Browns. Defensive back Jabrill Peppers, Michigan. Well, the Browns gave new defensive coordinator Gregg Williams some impressive tools to work with. After kicking off the draft by selecting Garrett, Cleveland at this spot brings in help for the secondary.

26. Falcons. Defensive end Takkarist McKinley, UCLA. The Falcons traded with the Seattle Seahawks to get a pass rusher. Vic Beasley led the league with 15.5 sacks last season. No other Atlanta player had more than 4.5 sacks. That was obvious in the Super Bowl.

27. Bills. Cornerback Tre’Davious White, LSU. White and former teammate Jamal Adams, selected by the Jets with the sixth overall pick, were part of an LSU defense that gave up only 16 touchdowns last season – the fewest in the Football Bowl Subdivision.

28. Cowboys. Defensive end Taco Charlton, Michigan. Set at quarterback, running back and at every spot along the offensive line, the Cowboys need to build their defense. Dallas adds a player who consistently set the edge for Michigan and made plays. Jer-ruh was smiling.

29. Browns. Tight end David Njoku, Miami. To be fair, Njoku is a good football player. He impressed at Miami. That established, how could the Browns make three first-round selections and not take a quarterback? Last time we checked, it’s still a QB league. The Browns need one.

30. Steelers. Outside linebacker T.J. Watt, Wisconsin. Pittsburgh got J.J. Watt’s little brother. T.J. won’t dominate opponents like his big bro, but he’ll make his share of big plays. And remember: The Steelers like linebackers who know how to get to the quarterback.

31. 49ers. Inside linebacker Reuben Foster, Alabama. San Francisco got pushed around too much on defense. That’s why coach Shanahan selected defensive end Solomon Thomas at third overall and Foster, Alabama’s fourth first-round pick in this draft, right here.

32. Saints. Offensive tackle Ryan Ramczyk, Wisconsin. Drew Brees is still going strong after all these years. But at 38, the Saints need to do everything they can to protect him. Ramczyk was either at the top or near it on most draft boards.</s>The Cleveland Browns grabbed the best overall player in the 2017 NFL draft when the took Texas A&M’s Myles Garrett at No. 1 overall. They’ve now added another big name with their additional first-round selection.

After trading down from the No. 12 pick, the Browns spent the 25th overall selection on Michigan defensive back Jabrill Peppers.

A Heisman Trophy finalist in 2016, Peppers played nearly every position for the Wolverines, making plays in all three phases of the game. His biggest value was in the return game, but he found the end zone on offense, as well.

On defense, Peppers showed off his athleticism, but looked lost a lot of the time. He’s a top-10 athlete in this class, but he may not have a true position fit at the next level. If he gets a chance to develop slowly, he could become a big-time playmaker wherever he lines up, but that’s a big if right now.

Throw in the fact that the Browns could have gotten Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson at No. 12, and this pick may not sit well with Browns fans. That said, they’ll have five picks in the first two rounds of next year’s draft with which to drown their sorrows.
In American football, the Cleveland Browns select Texas A&M defensive end Myles Garrett first in the 2017 NFL Draft.