2017 NFL Draft: 5 Reasons Why Deshaun Watson will be First Pick

By Shawn Spencer | May 25, 2016

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Jan 24, 2016; Denver, CO, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12) and Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning (18) shake hands after the game in the AFC Championship football game at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

Jan 24, 2016; Denver, CO, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12) and Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning (18) shake hands after the game in the AFC Championship football game at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports /

Reason One: It’s a Quarterback’s World

Let’s start with the obvious reason; the NFL is a quarterback-driven league. In order to win consistently and challenge for the title, a team absolutely must have a franchise QB. It’s not a coincidence that the last 13 AFC representatives in the Super Bowl have been led by Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Ben Roethlisberger or Joe Flacco. To remain fair and balanced to those who are on the “Joe Flacco is not elite” side of the argument, 12 of the last 13 AFC teams in the Super Bowl have been led by Brady, Manning or Roethlisberger.

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The NFL Draft has certainly been impacted as teams rely on a more pass-heavy offense. The past two drafts have seen quarterbacks go first and second overall with the Los Angeles Rams and Philadelphia Eagles trading multiple picks each to select their future signal callers this year. With Deshaun Watson and Brad Kaaya of Miami at the top of the QB rankings entering the season, there’s no reason to believe quarterbacks going 1-2 won’t happen again.

Dating back to the famous 1998 draft, which began with the selections of quarterbacks Peyton Manning and Ryan Leaf, a QB has been selected first overall in 14 of the past 19 drafts. The only other positions to be selected first overall since have been offensive tackle and defensive end. With Alabama left tackle Cam Robinson being charged with felony possession of stolen firearms this offseason, it’s hard to imagine an offensive tackle being selected with the top pick.

That leaves defensive end, which is led by Texas A&M star Myles Garrett. Garrett already has 24 sacks to his credit through two seasons and is by far the top prospect on the defensive side of the ball for the 2017 draft.

What hurts Garrett, as well as LSU running back Leonard Fournette, is depth. Both the edge and RB positions are expected to be very deep in next year’s draft and could push both players down a few spots. That leaves the door open, once again, for a QB to be taken first overall. It’s still very early, but Watson gets the nod over Kaaya.

Next: Reason Two