By Meredith Reiser and Ned Donovan, CNN • Updated 29th April 2021
(CNN) — If the first five rounds of the NFL Draft were anything to go by, the talent in the top tiers of the quarterback position couldn’t really move the meter for several years.
This means so far this year, quite a few Cleveland Browns fans are rooting against their own to sit, if they were to have the opportunity, at the next man up in the conference with a phone call from President Donald Trump.
Yep, this isn’t even beginning to resemble the Browns’ glory days, huh? Well, former Louisville Cardinal Lamar Jackson now sits at No. 12 overall in the NFL Draft.
What’s the significance? Everyone around football, for one, says it’s only a matter of time before he is Cleveland’s quarterback, if not this year and definitely next year — which means, most likely, no other Cleveland Browns fans will be holding their breath.
On Thursday, he simply couldn’t do it.
Jackson put up a lackluster performance in his initial outing, with three interceptions.
Was it because he was returning to Baltimore? It’s possible (Cleveland has worked out with Jackson before), but also it was the situation.
Jackson and the Browns find themselves in the wild card round of the playoffs after the season.
One of the Browns’ most prized free agent additions, Anquan Boldin, isn’t sure how things will turn out.
“It can be kind of an ugly game, too,” Boldin said. “I don’t know. You can’t play like a first-round draft pick or veteran or a vet.”
Despite his awful performance, there’s still a chance that Jackson continues on as the team’s first-round draft pick.