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Cleveland Browns: Hue Jackson willing to draft Saquon Barkley

By Maxwell Ogden

GLENDALE, AZ - DECEMBER 30: Running back Saquon Barkley #26 of the Penn State Nittany Lions runs the football 92 yards to score a touchdown against the Washington Huskies during the first half of the PlayStation Fiesta Bowl at University of Phoenix Stadium on December 30, 2017 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Jennifer Stewart/Getty Images)
GLENDALE, AZ - DECEMBER 30: Running back Saquon Barkley #26 of the Penn State Nittany Lions runs the football 92 yards to score a touchdown against the Washington Huskies during the first half of the PlayStation Fiesta Bowl at University of Phoenix Stadium on December 30, 2017 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Jennifer Stewart/Getty Images) /
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Cleveland Browns head coach Hue Jackson spoke candidly with the media about the 2018 NFL Draft. One revelation: Saquon Barkley is in play at No. 4.

The Cleveland Browns are in possession of the No. 1 and No. 4 overall selections in the 2018 NFL Draft. It’s a luxury that will afford Browns general manager John Dorsey an opportunity to immediately build towards a brighter future.

As the Browns weigh their options with two of the first four selections in the 2018 NFL Draft, it appears as though conventional wisdom isn’t scaring them away from a generational talent.

The working theory in modern NFL circles is that a running back wouldn’t be worth selecting with a top-five draft pick. It’s based on the devaluation of the position in a pass-heavy league, but Penn State Nittany Lions star Saquon Barkley is fighting the narrative.

According to Nate Ulrich of Ohio.com, Browns head coach Hue Jackson believes that Barkley would be worth investing in at No. 4 overall..

"“Everything that I’ve seen, he is [worthy of a top-five pick],” Jackson said. “I think he’s definitely in the conversation. Tremendous character, tremendous football player, and I think he’s going to help an organization.We need guys that come in and make a difference for the football team and the organization, and [Barkley] is definitely one of them. So he’ll be in the discussions as we move forward.”"

That doesn’t necessarily mean that the Browns will select Barkley if he’s available, but keeping an open mind to doing so is an intriguing sign.

Jackson recently confirmed that the Browns will select a quarterback at No. 1 overall. Knowing that to be true, the No. 4 pick will task Cleveland with answering a specific question: Is a running back worth selecting in the top five during the modern era?

Ezekiel Elliott is a shining example of a player whose success provides a resounding, “Yes,” but Browns fans can’t help but think of two words: Trent Richardson.

Cleveland selected Richardson at No. 3 overall in the 2012 NFL Draft. Just five years later, he was playing in the Canadian Football League.

The working theory about Barkley, however, is that he can be a legitimate franchise cornerstone. He’s been compared to Barry Sanders and Le’Veon Bell for his fluidity and creativity as a runner, as well as his dynamic playmaking ability as a receiver.

If the Browns were to select Barkley, they’d be acquiring the franchise quarterback and running back in a span of four picks.

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For what it’s worth: Saquon Barkley and said franchise quarterback would be joining a Cleveland Browns offense that already features Josh Gordon, Carlos Hyde, and Jarvis Landry.

On paper, that certainly sounds explosive.

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