Open Rants by Andy Q.

I recently read an Open Rant by one Rcjames253 in which, the user makes a case that:

a.) the Browns should not draft North Carolina QB Mitch Trubisky in the first round and b.) MItch Trubisky will bust and be out of the NFL in 5 years. Respectfully, I would like to disagree with my colleague and make the case that Trubisky will pan out in the NFL and that, should he be available, the Browns should select him with their No. 12 overall pick.

For starters, I’ll concede that rcjames’s plan for the Browns is not a terrible one. Essentially, he wants them to go BPA and start either Kessler or Osweiler in 2017. (I’d lean towards Kessler but that’s beside the point.) This plan isn't bad, but I think the Browns would truly regret missing out on Trubisky. Anyway, let’s dissect rcjames’ argument against Trubisky. Firstly, he claims that Trubisky is not “smart enough” to make it in the NFL. On the contrary, I’d argue Trubisky is certainly smart enough to learn an NFL playbook and make the transition into the NFL. UNC Head Coach Larry Fedora testified that Trubisky had a notebook where he “took pages upon pages of notes.” Cleraly, we're dealing with someone who has a passion for the game. Contrary to rcjames, I would reject the notion that Trubisky lacks competitiveness. James maintains that Trubisky “lacks [the] obscene competitiveness” that drives star athletes like Brady, Wiliams, and Phelps. However, based off of the reading I’ve done on Trubisky, it seems like he’s a pretty competitive guy. In Emily Kaplan’s excellent piece on Trubisky, she recalls how the North Carolina signal caller remarked “I should be there.” as he watched Deshaun Watson accept the Davey O’Brien Award. Kaplan also details how Trubisky came from a football family and how as a senior in HS he was named Ohio’s “Mr. Football.” For what’s it’s worth, Trubisky  wants to play for the Browns. In a class that’s deep on TEs, edge-rushers, and CBs, I think the Browns can certainly afford to spend an early choice on Trubisky. It’s not everyday a player with Trubisky’s pocket presence, athleticism, and size falls into your lap. He certainly has his flaws (lack of experience and issues with deep-ball accuracy) but these can certainly be mitigated with proper coaching and time. I could see Trubisky adopt quite well to Jackson’s system, especially with Terrelle Pryor, Cory Coleman, and a late-rounder perhaps someone like Robert Davis from Georgia State in the mix  Anyway, one can criticize Trubisky for a number of flaws, but to criticize him for his lack of intelligence or passion seems to be unwise, in my opinion.