In a few days, an NFL team will hand the keys over to USC's Sam Darnold, in the hopes that he can rejuvenate their franchise. He's the ultimate competitor, but also can make mistakes. He's someone that makes you scratch your head and praise him at the same time. Despite some of the deficiencies that he has, here are some of the reasons why he should be the Cleveland Browns' selection at No. 1.
1. Accuracy
The most important characteristic an NFL quarterback must have is accuracy. In college football, you throw to open receivers. In the NFL, you throw receivers open. With a 63% completion rate at USC, Darnold consistently showed the ability to be on the money whenever necessary. This was despite the fact that he lost two of his top receivers the previous season in Darreus Rogers and Juju Smith-Schuster.
2. Creativity
Often in the NFL, the elite quarterbacks separate themselves from the good quarterbacks with their ability to create when all hope seems to be lost. When all hope seems lost, the likes of Russell Wilson, Aaron Rodgers, and others seem to always find a way to convert the crucial 4th and 9 or the 3rd and 12. Darnold has shown an ability emulate this same ability. Against Texas, with the clock running against USC, Darnold evaded an unblocked Longhorn and delivered a perfect jump pass to Stephen Carr to move the chains. Countless other times throughout the season, Darnold made plays with his feet, buying time for his receivers to find an open window.
3. Leadership
This is probably the most underrated part of Darnold's game. Many are quick to forget that Darnold wasn't always the "chosen one" like many other NFL quarterbacks were. Darnold was a 4-star prospect coming out of high school and wasn't even considered the quarterback of USC's future. That distinction was held by the 5-star Ricky Town. Despite Town committing to the Trojans before Darnold, Darnold still committed to USC and fought for the starting job. Ultimately, Darnold's performance both on and off the field would force Town to transfer.
Then two seasons ago, with USC at 1-2 and coming off a humiliating loss to Alabama, the redshirt freshman took over the reigns of USC. It was then his talent and leadership were on full display. He focused an entire team that could have easily quit and put together a run that would lead USC back to the Rose Bowl. Since then, every player that has been interviewed about Darnold have praised his presence in the locker room. Even past USC greats like Matt Leinart have vouched for his ability.
Overall, Sam Darnold is a once-in-a-generational prospect. His combination of physical tools and mental intangibles prove that he is capable of leading a distraught NFL team back to the promise land.
