The Cleveland Browns drafted three players in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft, surprising many as none of them was a quarterback, leaving Cody Kessler as the presumptive starter heading into the season.
- Kessler’s PFF passing grade at USC in 2014 was better than the grade last season by any of the top QB prospects in this draft.
- The Browns have bolstered their offensive line in free agency (J.C. Tretter at C, Kevin Zeitler at G), and drafted an athletic TE in David Njoku in the first round to improve the situation around him.
- Kessler ended his rookie year with a passer rating of 92.3 overall, and 99.1 when kept clean in the pocket.
- He also had the league’s second-best completion percentage under pressure (58.8 percent), and the sixth-best passer rating when pressured (82.4), showing significant promise in his first season.