Trubisky, a Mentor, Ohio native, announced he is entering the NFL Draft on Monday. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- North Carolina quarterback Mitch Trubisky announced that he is foregoing his senior season and entering the NFL Draft on Monday. He made the announcement in an article on The Players' Tribune.

Trubisky joins the group of quarterbacks the Browns will consider with either the No. 1 overall pick or the No. 12 pick in the upcoming draft. That group includes Clemson's Deshaun Watson and Notre Dame's Deshone Kizer. Kizer, like Trubisky, played high school football in Ohio.

Here's more information on Trubisky:

Height: 6-3

Weight: 220

Hometown: Mentor, Ohio

High school: Mentor

College stats: Completed 386-572 passes (67.5 percent), 41 touchdowns, 10 interceptions.

120 rushing attempts, 439 yards, 8 touchdowns.

2016 season: 304-of-447 passing (68 percent), 30 touchdowns, 6 interceptions.

93 rushes, 308 yards, 5 interceptions.

What people are saying: 

From MMQB's Emily Kaplan (prior to the Sun Bowl and Trubisky declaring):

"Meanwhile, with only limited tape, NFL teams are racing to fill in as much info as possible. What they've learned: Mitch Trubisky lifts like a linebacker. He was homesick his first year of college. He likes playing Pictionary with his two younger brothers. His family of six makes an annual 18-hour drive to visit grandparents in Florida--and though Mitch has made only one of the last four, his 2016 New Year's resolution was to call his family more often. He'll never let a text from his high school coach go unreturned. He's so popular in his hometown (Mentor, a suburb of Cleveland) that Tar Heel blue became the trendiest shirt color among school kids this fall. He's reserved upon first introduction (when he called me earlier this week, he introduced himself as if he were cold calling to sell a new line of ski products: "Hello, this is Mitchell Trubisky, the quarterback at the University of North Carolina"), but fearless once comfortable."

NFL.com's Bucky Brooks:

"In the end, Trubisky remains an intriguing quarterback prospect with tremendous upside, but scouts will walk away from the Sun Bowl knowing that he is far from a polished product at this stage of his development."

ESPN's Todd McShay (prior to the Sun Bowl and Trubisky declaring):

I'll say this: It's not a great year to be drafting early and needing a quarterback. There's some depth (depending on how many underclassmen declare), but I don't see any elite prospects among those I've reviewed so far. My top five quarterbacks are all underclassmen -- and I hope most of them return to school (Watson, my No. 2 QB, has already declared). Mel is right, Kizer needs another year. Trubisky has only 12 starts. Miami's Brad Kaaya can continue to get bigger/stronger. Falk comes with too many questions ranging from system to frame.

ESPN's Mel Kiper (prior to the Sun Bowl and Trubisky declaring):

"There's really only one guy right now (worth a first round pick) ... That's North Carolina's Mitch Trubisky, a fourth-year junior who is in his first season as the starter. Trubisky has thrown 28 touchdown passes to only four interceptions, but he's still green. ... He's not ready to play right away in the NFL."

McShay does not have Trubisky ranked in his latest Top 32.

Kiper has Trubisky ranked No. 16 in his latest Top 25.

Bleacher Report's Matt Miller has the Browns taking Myles Garrett No. 1 and the 49ers taking Trubisky No. 2 in his Jan. 2 mock draft.

CBS Sports' Rob Rang has the Browns taking Trubisky No. 1, while Dane Brugler has the Garrett to Cleveland and Trubisky to San Francisco combo.

Local ties: Trubisky started at quarterback for three years at Mentor, running head coach Steve Trivisonno's up-tempo, spread attack. He was named Ohio's Mr. Football in 2012 after leading the Cardinals to the state semifinals. He beat St. Edward and St. Ignatius in back-to-back weeks to win the regional championship.

Personal: Says on his UNC bio page: "If he could choose an NFL team to play for, it would be the Cleveland Browns." ... Parents are Dave and Jeanne Trubisky. ... Also played basketball at Mentor.

Should the Browns draft a QB and where?

Will the 2017 draft be start of Browns and Trubisky's journey?

Baylor, one of only two remaining undefeated basketball teams in the nation, rises to No. 1 in the latest release of the AP Top 25 men's basketball poll after Villanova falls for the first time last week.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Baylor took over the top spot in Monday's weekly release of the Associated Press Top 25 men's basketball poll, with Kansas No. 2 and Villanova at No. 3.

Baylor received 55 of 65 first-place votes from a national media panel and totalled 1,608 points. Kansas, which moved up from third, got eight first-place votes and 1,517 points.

Villanova, which led the poll for the past five weeks, got one first-place vote and No. 4 UCLA got the other.

Rounding out the top 10 are undefeated Gonzaga, Kentucky, Duke, Creighton, Florida State and West Virginia.

Elton Alexander's breakdown: The undefeated ranks are down to just two, Baylor and Gonzaga which is not as alarming as the number of conferences already loaded with many, many teams holding losing records. More telling, Top 25 choices on the back end are really few and far between each week. Only 13 teams this week even got Top 25 votes, none more than 11 votes.

If nothing else, there should be a collective "whoa" on talk about expanding the 65-team NCAA Tournament field.

Both major conference icons (Ohio State, Texas, Michigan State, UConn) and traditional mid-major powers (Northern Iowa, San Diego State, Davidson) have had their struggles in non-conference and early conference play. None of those teams are close to being NCAA Tournament worthy.

As for the undefeated, both will have their challenges this week as Baylor is on the road Tuesday at West Virginia and Saturday at Kansas State, while Gonzaga has a home game with St. Mary's, also on Saturday.

AP TOP 25 POLL

The top 25 teams in The Associated Press' college basketball poll, with first-place votes in parentheses, records through Jan. 8, total points based on 25 points for a first-place vote through one point for a 25th-place vote and last week's ranking:

Others receiving votes: Seton Hall 11, South Carolina 7, Iowa State 7, Indiana 6, Virginia Tech 6, Maryland 5, SMU 5, Clemson 4, UNC-Wilmington 3, VCU 3, Nevada 2, Dayton 2, Wichita State 2.

ELTON ALEXANDER'S BALLOT

1. Baylor
2. Kansas
3. Villanova
4. UCLA
5. Gonzaga
6. Kentucky
7. Duke
8. Creighton
9. West Virginia
10. Florida State
11. North Carolina
12. Louisville
13. Virginia
14. Oregon
15. Wisconsin
16. Xavier
17. Arizona
18. Butler
19. St. Mary's
20. Purdue
21. Cincinnati
22. Notre Dame
23. Florida
24. UNC-Wilmington
25. SMU

The Titans’ wins last week against Garfield Heights and Maple Heights, both Top 25 teams, paved the way for Lorain’s ascension with St. Edward’s loss at St. Vincent-St. Mary.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Preseason No. 1 Lorain is back in the top spot of the cleveland.com boys basketball rankings. The Titans’ wins last week against Garfield Heights and Maple Heights, both Top 25 teams, paved the way for Lorain’s ascension with St. Edward’s loss at St. Vincent-St. Mary.

The area’s Catholic school powers — the Eagles, Fighting Irish and St. Ignatius — are amid an impromptu round robin with home teams winning those matchups so far.

Another one is on the horizon Friday as St. Edward, last week’s No. 1, will travel to St. Ignatius.

Here is how the new Top 25 shakes down, coming off a busy weekend that included the Scholastic Play By Play Classic at Baldwin Wallace.

1. Lorain (7-1)

Where they stand: The Titans’ top-four matchup with Garfield Heights adds to a resume with just one blemish — a loss to North Canton Hoover that is one of Stark County’s premier teams.

Last week: Ranked No. 2. Beat Garfield Heights, 66-64, on Jan. 3. Beat Maple Heights, 85-65, on Jan. 6.

This week: Friday at Warrensville Heights.

2. Cleveland Heights (7-2)

Where they stand: Coach Jeremy Holmes' Tigers have already reached last season's win total with signature victories against St. Ignatius and Sunday vs. Warren Harding. In case you're wondering, a potential Lake Erie League showdown with Lorain is Jan. 27. They will first play at Warrensville Heights, which serves as the Tigers' home court this season, then meet again Feb. 24 in Lorain for the regular-season finale.

Last week: Ranked No. 3. Beat Shaw, 54-51, on Jan. 6. Beat Warren Harding, 69-64, on Jan. 8.

This week: Friday at Maple Heights, Sunday vs. Centerville at Kettering Fairmont.

3. St. Ignatius (7-3)

Where they stand: The Wildcats look like Cleveland’s hottest team with four straight wins, including their 72-68 New Year’s Eve triumph vs. STVM.

Last week: Ranked No. 5. Beat Canton GlenOak, 68-46, on Jan. 6. Beat University School, 90-54, on Jan. 7.

This week: Friday vs. St. Edward, Saturday vs. North Canton Hoover.

4. St. Vincent-St. Mary (6-3)

Where they stand: Guards Jon Williams and Jayvon Graves are well established, and the young core is starting to make its presence felt. Chris Painter’s third quarter ran with STVM’s breakout rally Friday vs. St. Edward.

Last week: Ranked No. 6. Beat St. Edward, 69-67, on Jan. 6. Beat Euclid, 84-58, on Jan. 8.

This week: Saturday at Trotwood-Madison, Sunday vs. Pickerington North at Kettering Fairmont.

5. St. Edward (9-2)

Where they stand: Coach Eric Flannery called STVM nearly unbeatable LeBron James Arena, where the Eagles suffered a two-point loss Friday during a busy weekend. St. Edward lost at STVM, which lost at St. Ignatius. Separating these three is difficult at this point.

Last week: Ranked No. 1. Lost to St. Vincent-St. Mary, 69-67, on Jan. 6. Beat Benedictine, 79-68, on Jan. 7. Beat Brunswick, 52-41, on Jan. 8.

This week: Friday at St. Ignatius.

6. Garfield Heights (9-2)

Where they stand: Marreon Jackson’s play begs the question. Is he the favorite to be player of the year in Cleveland? The Bulldogs are at full strength this week as they welcome John Hay transfer Leonard Cottrell, who sat out the first 11 games. Garfield Heights can make a case to be third. The two-point loss at Lorain is the difference between the Bulldogs being here and No. 1. That is how much parity there is this season in Northeast Ohio.

Last week: Ranked No. 4. Lost to Lorain, 66-64, on Jan. 3. Beat Revere, 80-55, on Jan. 8.

This week: Tuesday at Akron Garfield, Sunday vs. Upper Arlington at Kettering Fairmont.

7. Medina (10-0)

Where they stand: Jackson Sartain’s 37 points and 11 rebounds Friday vs. Shaker Heights served a stern reminder that Medina has three guards that can beat a team. If you need a reminder, fellow seniors Luke Schaefer and Ben Geschke are the others.

Last week: Ranked No. 8. Beat Brunswick, 66-62, on Jan. 3. Beat Shaker Heights, 92-79, on Jan. 6.

This week: Tuesday vs. Elyria, Friday at Mentor.

8. Mentor (6-1)

Where they stand: Mentor pulled out of Sunday’s Play By Play Classic vs. Canton McKinley. The Cardinals also suffered their first loss to Elyria. It was a rough week, but Mentor’s resume is still strong enough to keep it in firm standing of the top 10.

Last week: Ranked No. 7. Beat Solon, 77-70, on Jan. 3. Lost to Elyria, 74-69, on Jan. 6.

This week: Tuesday at Shaker Heights, Friday vs. Medina.

9. Archbishop Hoban (8-1)

Where they stand: T.K. Griffith’s Knights are quietly putting together a banner season.

Last week: Ranked No. 9. Beat Firestone, 70-52, on Jan. 3. Beat Walsh Jesuit, 59-26, on Jan. 6.

This week: Tuesday at Gilmour, Friday vs. Lake Catholic.

10. Benedictine (7-2)

Where they stand: The Bengals didn’t lose a game all last season at home. Both setbacks have come in their den this season, but consider the competition — Hoban and St. Edward.

Last week: Ranked No. 10. Beat Padua, 55-43, on Jan. 6. Lost to St. Edward, 79-68, on Jan. 7.

This week: Friday vs. Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin.

11. Cornerstone Christian (8-3)

Where they stand: This week’s Bedford matchup is one of a few Division I teams still on Cornerstone’s schedule. The Patriots look well on their way of entering this postseason with a much stronger record, however. They entered last year’s district tournament hovering near .500.

Last week: Ranked No. 12. Beat University School, 97-68, on Jan. 4.

This week: Tuesday at Bedford, Saturday vs. Sugar Creek Garaway.

12. Villa Angela-St. Joseph (4-3)

Where they stand: Coach Babe Kwasniak got a good half out of his group against La Lumiere, ranked No. 1 in the country by USA Today and an Indiana powerhouse. Another out-of-state trip is on the horizon.

Last week: Ranked No. 11. Lost to La Lumiere School (Ind.), 88-45, on Jan. 6.

This week: Friday vs. Paul VI at the Burger King Classic in Erie, Pa. Saturday vs. TBA at the Burger King Classic.

13. Holy Name (9-1)

Where they stand: A resounding win against Brush at the Scholastic Play By Play Classic further asserted this is a different Green Wave team than a year ago.

Last week: Ranked No. 15. Beat Trinity, 73-49, on Jan. 3. Beat Parma, 103-63, on Jan. 6. Beat Brush, 79-57, on Jan. 8.

This week: Tuesday at Valley Forge, Friday vs. Normandy, Sunday vs. Mars at North Canton Hoover.

14. Ellet (8-1)

Where they stand: Akron City Series favorites, the Orangemen have yet to be kept within 10 points by any league opponent. Like Hoban, they are putting together a season to remember in Akron. A matchup later this month vs. STVM and a regular-season finale against Massillon Jackson are matchups to circle on the calendar.

Last week: Ranked No. 17. Beat Firestone, 63-50, on Jan. 6.

This week: Tuesday vs. Akron North, Friday vs. Buchtel.

15. Brecksville (7-1)

Where they stand: A return to Suburban League play got Brecksville back on the winning track. Its trip Friday to Stow is an early National Division showdown.

Last week: Ranked No. 14. Beat North Royalton, 65-46, on Jan. 3. Beat Wadsworth, 47-42, on Jan. 6.

This week: Friday at Stow, Saturday at Padua.

16. Copley (8-0)

Where they stand: The regular-season win streak is up to 32 games. Its last loss came Feb. 17, 2015 at Green.

Last week: Ranked No. 19. Beat Highland, 74-52, on Jan. 3. Beat Aurora, 90-44, on Jan. 6.

This week: Tuesday at Nordonia, Friday at Kent Roosevelt.

17. Solon (7-2)

Where they stand: Guards rule the game in Northeast Ohio, and Solon has three of them. Sophomore Michael Bekelja boosted the Comets last week vs. Strongsville, showing they have more than juniors Sincere Carry and David Gulley.

Last week: Ranked No. 16. Lost to Mentor, 77-70, on Jan. 3. Beat Strongsville, 81-61, on Jan. 6.

This week: Tuesday vs. Euclid, Friday at Elyria, Saturday vs. Canton McKinley at North Canton Hoover.

18. Maple Heights (7-2)

Where they stand: The Mustangs hope to contend in the Lake Erie League, but their loss at Lorain provided a litmus test of how far they still must go.

Last week: Ranked No. 13. Lost to Lorain, 85-65, on Jan. 6.

This week: Tuesday at Youngstown Cardinal Mooney, Friday vs. Cleveland Heights.

19. Elyria (7-2)

Where they stand: Antonio Blanton is proving to be one of the area’s most improved players and more than a sharpshooter. His 28 points and five rebounds Friday against Mentor proved that.

Last week: Not ranked. Beat Mentor, 74-69, on Jan. 6.

This week: Tuesday at Medina, Friday vs. Solon.

20. Bay (7-3)

Where they stand: Judging by last week’s play, the Rockets might have rediscovered their fast pace coach Jared Shetzer desires. That could make Tuesday’s Great Lakes Conference matchup with Elyria Catholic a fun one. Dorian Crutcher is one of Lorain County’s leading scorers.

Last week: Ranked No. 21. Beat Valley Forge, 98-75, on Jan. 6.

This week: Tuesday vs. Elyria Catholic, Friday at Parma.

21. Stow (6-2)

Where they stand: The Bulldogs are developing a defensive identity that is tough to beat.

Last week: Ranked No. 22. Beat Hudson, 62-28, on Jan. 3. Beat Cuyahoga Falls, 62-44, on Jan. 6.

This week: Tuesday at Green, Friday vs. Brecksville.

22. Lutheran East (6-4)

Where they stand: The Falcons pushed Canton McKinley on Sunday at the Play By Play Classic. The Division IV school has a few more D-I foes on the schedule, including Cleveland Heights, St. Ignatius, St. Edward and Glenville.

Last week: Ranked No. 20. Beat Lutheran West, 68-49, on Jan. 6. Lost to Canton McKinley, 68-66, on Jan. 8.

This week: Wednesday vs. John Marshall, Friday vs. Western Reserve Academy.

23. Central Catholic (5-4)

Where they stand: The Ironmen had a five-game win streak snapped Sunday at Baldwin Wallace.

Last week: Ranked No. 18. Beat Warren JFK, 86-40, on Jan. 6. Lost to Shaker Heights, 75-68, on Jan. 8.

This week: Friday at Trinity.

24. Glenville (9-2)

Where they stand: The Tarblooders had a busy December, but have not had much to start 2017. That changes this week in the Senate League.

Last week: Ranked No. 23. Idle.

This week: Tuesday vs. Rhodes, Friday vs. JFK.

25. Avon (7-0)

Where they stand: What makes the Eagles’ start impressive is it has come without standout junior guard Delshawn Orr. Ryan Bertrand is coming off a season-high 21 points at Lakewood. Avon shares the Southwestern Conference lead with Berea-Midpark.

Last week: Not ranked. Beat Westlake, 58-43, on Jan. 3. Beat Lakewood, 72-42, on Jan. 6.

This week: Tuesday at North Ridgeville, Friday vs. Amherst.

DROPPED OUT

Brush (8-2, was No. 24), Olmsted Falls (6-2, was No. 25).

IN CONTENTION

Berea-Midpark (6-1), Cleveland MLK (7-1), Crestwood (7-2), Woodridge (10-0).

Contact sports reporter Matt Goul on Twitter (@mgoul) or email (mgoul@cleveland.com). Or log in and leave a message below in the comments section.

The Mentor native will head to the NFL after just 13 college starts at North Carolina.

EL PASO, Texas -- It took Mitch Trubisky until his fourth year at North Carolina to earn the starting job. It took him one year of playing college football to make himself a possible top-10 pick in the 2017 NFL Draft.

That's who he is and how he got to this point.

The Mentor grad declared for the draft on Monday and is projected by many analysts to be the first quarterback taken. But that's not often how paths go for players in this position, and you can take that part of Trubisky's resume however you'd like to. Certainly, making just 13 college starts will be something that NFL teams evaluate as part of their Trubisky analysis.

Trubisky was 8-5 as a starter. Notre Dame's DeShone Kizer was 12-11 in 23 starters. Clemson's Deshaun Watson, entering Monday's National Championship, is 31-3 in 34 starts.

On one hand, Trubisky waited his turn and earned his job. On the other hand, if he's the best college quarterback in the nation now, how was he not the best quarterback at his own school for three years?

"He's a leader and he's someone that has great confidence in himself and someone who is very patient," Ryan Switzer, North Carolina's leading receiver and Trubisky's roommate, told cleveland.com after the Tar Heels ended their season with a loss to Stanford in the Sun Bowl. "He waited his time and a lot of people don't do that in life. They feel they're entitled to stuff. But he continued to work for what he has and was patient and he trusted the process. Now he put himself in a great position to go in the first round."

Get to know Trubisky

North Carolina football writer Andrew Carter of the Raleigh News & Observer detailed Trubisky's four-year rise to the starting spot for the Tar Heels in an interesting story from August. The coaching staff redshirted Trubisky in 2013 but considered putting him in for the final five games after an injury to starter Bryn Renner.

Trubisky then thought he'd be the starter.

"I thought I was going to maybe come in and compete right away," Trubisky said. "Come in, compete with Bryn ... compete and then hopefully win the job my redshirt freshman year."

Instead, Marquise Williams beat out Trubisky for the next two years, with North Carolina trying a brief QB rotation.

Why Trubisky to the Browns could work

Here are their stats, with North Carolina's record, over the last three years:

* 2014, Williams: 270 for 428, 63.1 percent, 3,068 yards, 21 TDs, 9 INTs; 193 carries, 788 rushing yards, 13 TDs; 6-7 record

* 2015, Williams: 219 for 357, 61.3 percent, 3,072 yards, 24 TDs, 10 INTs; 158 carries, 948 rushing yards, 13 TDs; 11-3 record

* 2016, Trubisky: 304 for 446, 68.2 percent, 3,748 yards, 30 TDs, 6 INTs; 93 carries, 308 rushing yards, 5 TDs; 8-5 record

So North Carolina won without him, with good quarterback play. Then Trubisky, with everyone knowing 2016 would be his year, got his chance and did his thing.

"It was one of the best experiences of my life, for sure," Trubisky said of this season after the Sun Bowl. "You go to the first game at Georgia and you don't know what to expect. And then you get your feet wet and you learn from the mistakes and grow through the season. 

"And the best part about it is, each and every game through the season, I just continued to do my job and lead these guys and I could see how they started to believe in me more and more and put their trust in me more and more. And then I stepped up to be a leader each and every single week, and I'm grateful to play with these types of guys, and they really shaped me into a whole new quarterback from what I was the previous year."

That whole new quarterback went from waiting to leaving. Just like he went from completing 24 of 40 passes for 156 yards in a 33-24 loss to Georgia in the opener to completing 31 of 38 passes for 405 yards in a 37-35 win over Florida State, the No. 12 in the nation, a month later.

"We just took it week by week," Trubisky's father, Dave, said after the Sun Bowl. "We knew he would finally get his time to start. We knew he would do well. We didn't know he'd do this well."

"We knew he was good, we knew he was talented, we knew he worked hard," said his mother, Jeanne.

"We didn't expect the whirlwind," Dave said.

"You can't be ready for this," Jeanne said.

Now they're ready for what's next. Trubisky, on a conference calls with reporters who covered North Carolina, said that he reached his decision on Friday. According to Tar Heel Illustrated, which provided a transcript of the interview, Trubisky said he did waver.

"It was definitely back and forth pretty much the whole time up until the end when I just really felt strongly about and felt really good about making my decision," Trubisky said. "There would be some days where I would feel like I was leaving and I'd wake up the next day and be like, 'Maybe I need to come back, I want to come back.'"

The NFL won out. Cleveland or San Francisco or Chicago or New York should be Trubisky's next football home. He's done at North Carolina.

"It's a wonderful family and he's a great kid," North Carolina athletic director Bubba Cunningham told cleveland.com at the Sun Bowl. Cunningham also spent much of the pregame talking with the Browns' Sashi Brown, who was there to scout Trubisky.

"You want to have more guys like him. We have a number of them," Cunningham said, "but you can never have enough."

Even if you only see them start for one season.

Changes in the Browns' coaching ranks have often made sense in Berea. They just haven't often made a difference.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - We probably could've guessed that continuity in Berea wasn't going to go from "non-existent" to "steadfast" overnight, especially not during one miserable season.

So what we have with the firing of Ray Horton and hiring of Gregg Williams as defensive coordinator after one season under head coach Hue Jackson is still a state of change.

 It's just not one as big as we're accustomed to seeing.

But, wait, there could be more.

"There could be changes because guys have better opportunities," Hue Jackson told reporters in a Sunday conference call. "There could be more changes because I think something is going to make us better. I'm going to win here and, in order to do that have to make some tough decisions."

In Horton's second time around in Cleveland, it was difficult to say what the Browns defense did best.

We just know its strength wasn't covering the tight end. Or covering anybody else particularly well for that matter.

Stopping the run and getting to the quarterback weren't staples either.

 And even if some of those issues on defense could clearly be attributed to injuries and youth, some problems that surfaced were reminiscent of the collapses we saw in Horton's first time around with head coach Rob Chudzinski.

It's hard to argue on Horton's behalf. So we won't.

All we'll say is the other side of the ball was 1-15, too.

And that as job security goes, it was a lot better to be Browns offensive coordinator than defensive coordinator in 2016.

Jackson will call plays again in 2017 while there is so still so much else to do as Browns head coach.

In acknowledgment of the scrutiny he'll face, Jackson said Sunday "the finger is pointed at me."

That's also hard to argue.

Get to know the Notre Dame quarterback and Toledo native. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio - DeShone Kizer started two seasons at Notre Dame, and now the quarterback and Toledo native heads to the 2017 NFL Draft as a player the Browns could consider selecting.

The Browns, who have the No. 1 and No. 12 picks in the first round, spent "an inordinate amount of time" scouting Kizer, according to an ESPN report in December. We'll find out what that means on April 27, the first night of the draft.

Until then, here's more information on Kizer:

Height: 6-4.

Weight: 230.

Hometown: Toledo.

High school: Toledo Central Catholic.

College stats: Completed 422-of-695 passes (60.7 percent), 47 touchdowns, 19 interceptions. 264 rushing attempts, 997 yards, 18 touchdowns.

2016 season: 212-of-361 passing (58.7 percent), 26 touchdowns, 9 interceptions. 129 rushes, 472 yards, 8 touchdowns.

What people are saying: 

From ESPN's Mel Kiper, on QB's we'll be talking about the first night of the draft:

"I don't see any other first-rounders (other than Trubisky) in the group. Notre Dame's DeShone Kizer, a third-year sophomore, has to go back to school."

From MMQB's Emily Kaplan's Jan. 4 mock draft. She has the Browns taking Kizer at No. 12:

"After prudently passing on a quarterback with the top pick, I see the Sashi Brown brain trust falling in love with Notre Dame's Kizer, an Ohio native who has poise in the pocket but can threaten in other ways, too. When I wrote about Kizer in September, one quote from Brady Quinn stuck with me: "You see a lot of natural athletes who play quarterback because they can throw the football and they're fast and athletic and they can get a coach out of a bad call because they can scramble. DeShone can get out of the pocket and run, but he's a natural passer. He can pass with different anticipations, different speeds."

From NFL.com's Dan Parr in Dec. 2016:

"Despite the struggles, Kizer remains one of the most highly regarded QB prospects. Two scouts told NFL.com's Lance Zierlein in September that they preferred Kizer to Clemson QB Deshaun Watson, who also intends to enter the 2017 draft, and an executive has projected Kizer as a top-10 pick."

ESPN's Todd McShay does not have Kizer ranked in his latest Top 32.

Kiper does not have Kizer ranked in his latest Top 25.

Bleacher Report's Matt Miller has the Browns taking Myles Garrett No. 1 and Kizer No. 12 in his Jan. 2 mock draft.

CBS Sports' Rob Rang has the Browns taking Trubisky No. 1, and Kizer going No. 13 to the Cardinals, one spot after the Browns take cornerback Teez Tabor of Florida. CBS Sports' Dane Brugler has the Garrett to the Browns at No. 1 and Kizer to the Bears at No. 3.

Ohio ties: Kizer was a three-year starter for Toledo Central Catholic, leading them to a 34-6 record and the 2012 Division II state title. 

Social media: On his twitter account - @DKizer_14 - Kizer's bio reads: "Elmhurst Elementary 6^th Grade spelling bee champion." Kizer's Instagram account - dkizer_14 - proves that he poses for a lot of photos.

Personal: According to his Notre Dame bio page, Kizer started as a freshman for Central Catholic's basketball team that reached the Division I state semifinals. He also played outfield and batted cleanup on the baseball team. 

Mitch Trubisky NFL Draft scouting report

The FWAA announced its freshman All-American team on Monday.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio State is losing players, while others young Buckeyes are getting recognized for their freshman seasons.

Running back Mike Weber, offensive lineman Michael Jordan and defensive tackle Dre'Mont Jones on Monday were named freshman All-Americans by the Football Writers Association of America.

Weber led the Buckeyes in rushing with 1,096 yards on 182 carries, becoming just the third Buckeye ever to rush for 1,000 yards in his freshman season. Jones became a starter on the defensive line after a season-ending injury to Tracy Sprinkle, and finished sixth on the team with 52 tackles to go with four tackles for loss.

Jordan started all 13 games at left guard, and played with a sprained ankle in a Fiesta Bowl loss to Clemson.

Weber was named to USA Today's freshman All-American team in December, while defensive end Nick Bosa ended up on ESPN's list.

Ohio State All-America tracker: Who's getting a tree in Buckeye Grove?

Now that Mitch Trubisky has declared for the 2017 NFL Draft, should the Cleveland Browns be looking at him as the No. 1 overall pick? Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- It's not a surprise that Mitch Trubisky declared for the 2017 NFL Draft. It would have been foolish for the definite first-rounder to return to North Carolina for his senior season.

But what about the Cleveland Browns?

The Browns own the first pick in the upcoming draft. Many experts have Trubisky, the Mentor, Ohio native, rated as the best quarterback in the draft, easily in the top three among quarterbacks.

But Trubisky has been a starter for just one season. Do the Browns make a first-pick bet on a player with only 13 college starts?

Does DeShaun Watson figure into the discussion? The Clemson QB is a proven winner, taking his team to the national championship game two years in a row. Some question his arm, but his numbers are very similar to what Dak Prescott, the Dallas Cowboys rookie sensation, posted last season at Mississippi State.

The Browns have the No. 1 and No. 12 picks in the first round.

Lots to talk about about as the Mentor native is an interesting prospect.

The New Orleans Saints' intent in the Bountygate scandal was to maim and injure opponents. Other teams did it too. But it is the Cleveland Browns who have hired the coach most closely associated with it.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- What's the statute of limitations on barbarity?

The late Jack Tatum of the Oakland Raiders liked being called the "Assassin" long after he paralyzed the New England Patriots' Darryl Stingley with a hit.

Former Buffalo Bills offensive lineman Conrad Dobler, notoriously vicious, proudly wrote a book "They Call Me Dirty," in which he conspicuously failed to deny it.

Then there's Greg Williams, the new defensive coordinator of the Cleveland Browns.

He was the actual, recorded voice of the New Orleans Saints' "Bountygate" scandal when he was that team's defensive coordinator.

It was a system, allegedly in place from the Saints' Super Bowl championship season of 2009 through 2011. It involved payments to players who successfully targeted opposing players' and knocked them either out of the game or out of their senses.

The Saints either attacked previous injuries or inflicted new ones. Williams encouraged the savage hits, no matter if they were delivered inside or outside the lines?

Players under Williams' direction have charged -- and some others have denied -- that similar viciousness dividends went to his players when he coached in Washington and Buffalo.

Former Indianapolis Colts coach Tony Dungy charged such a program existed when Williams was with the Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans franchise, with its target Colts quarterback Peyton Manning.

With the Saints, Williams described the plan as "kill the head and the body will die."

Before a playoff game, he urged his players to "do everything in the world to kill (the 49ers) Frank Gore's head."

"We want him running sideways," said Williams, which is close to a description of a reeling boxer lurching around the ring as you will find, only it was a distortion of football ethics instead.

Williams also gloried in a hit to 49ers quarterback Alex Smith. "Remember me," Williams said of the "message" that came with the smash to Smith's chin.

"Lay that (expletive) out," he said.

The coordinator rubbed his fingers together in a Johnny Manziel, money-counting gesture that only lost its fan appeal when Manziel was too drunk to play in Browns games. That money would be real for the man who made the hit.

"We want his head sideways," said Williams of Gore. "Every single one of you, before you get off the pile, affect the head. Early, affect the head. Continue to touch and affect the head."

I'm just guessing that Williams was a fan of the revolving head of the young Linda Blair in "The Exorcist." That was a 1970s movie about possession by the devil.

"That's how you get respect in this league," Williams said.

It's true that other NFL teams have had similar bounty programs. The Saints just got caught. What is striking is how unrepentant Williams was, at least until his remarks came out.

"Never apologize for the way we compete. If you're in this room, you understand that."

All of these quotes, suitably cleaned up for family readership, can be found by Googling the scandal or on YouTube. (Note: Definitely not safe for work.) 

Williams' words became public knowledge because also in the room was documentary filmmaker Sean Pamphilon, who released a four-minute audio tape of the comments.

Williams was first suspended indefinitely, but it was reduced to one year. He was back in NFL coaching circles after promising NFL commissioner Roger Goodell he wouldn't do it again.

Maybe you can take that to the bank, but probably not the same one where the Saints took the bounty money.

At least five Buckeyes will end up leaving Columbus early for the NFL. That can't be viewed as a problem.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Curtis Samuel is out, Tyquan Lewis is in and a couple more Ohio State Buckeyes have decisions left to make on the 2017 NFL Draft. Some thoughts:

Ohio State NFL Draft tracker

1. Samuel leaves a major hole at H-back, but, if this make sense, at the same time I think he's replaceable. Demario McCall fits the Samuel model of a high school running back moving to H-back who can carry the ball but also be a weapon in the pass game. K.J. Hill should work into the H-back reps as well, and the true freshmen Tyjon Lindsey (a receiver) and J.K Dobbins (a running back) are H-back candidates as well.

What the Buckeyes are indebted to Samuel for is reminding Urban Meyer what a true H-back can accomplish. Meyer said many times Samuel was his best H-back since Percy Harvin, and we saw what that can mean. Samuel was a stunning player and a rare talent. But if the Buckeyes feature the H-back again, they'll have players who can replicate much of what Samuel provided.

2. Samuel was nagged by injuries in 2015, but one of the mistakes of that season was still not playing Samuel more. Braxton Miller took up a lot of the H-back reps, but we've all seen now what kind of player Samuel is and I think he could have helped that offense. In 2015, Samuel had 39 touches for 421 yards (10.8 average) in 2015. Miller had 68 for 601 yards (8.8 average.) In 2016, Samuel had 171 touches for 1,636 yards (9.6 average).

Samuel turns pro

3. Samuel as a pro? Just a guess - a second-round pick who becomes part of a two-back rotation and turns into a very effective third-down back running it and catching it.

4. Tyquan Lewis returning is a bit of a surprise, only because he'd graduated in December, been named the Big Ten's Defensive Lineman of the Year and accomplished almost everything as a 2016 captain and 2014 national champion.

Honestly, with all four top defensive ends back - Lewis, Sam Hubbard, Jalyn Holmes and Nick Bosa - the fight for reps there will be intense. If, for example, both Lewis and Hubbard had turned pro, Holmes and Bosa would have been as ready to step in as starter as any backups on the roster.

We'll still see all four together in the third-down pass-rush package, like this year. Bosa said at the Fiesta Bowl said he's an end, not a tackle. But boy, with four guys like that, you'd sure like to investigate every way to get all of them on the field as much as possible.

Lewis stays for fifth season

5. Noah Brown's decision to leave came as a surprise, and you hope it works out for him. He's got NFL size, but his lack of production this year will make some NFL teams wonder. He caught 32 passes for 402 yards, including eight for 93 yards in the final five games as the passing game faded.

He would have come back as the Buckeyes' No. 1 receiver, but the entire group and entire passing game needs to take a big step in 2017 after Urban Meyer promising it would this year and didn't.

Parris Campbell (13 catches, 121 yards) will now return as the most prolific outside receiver, followed by Terry McLaurin (11 catches, 114 yards.) As sophomores, expect Ben Victor and Austin Mack to play much bigger roles than this season, and they should push to start.

Yes, there are big-time recruits coming in. But at Ohio State, true freshman contributions aren't the norm, so don't plan on Trevon Grimes saving the passing game next season.

Brown heads to NFL

6. All these decisions made by players that sometimes anger fans are connected in my mind. From players skipping bowls, to the threatened bowl boycott by Minnesota players, to players leaving early for the NFL when it wasn't expected, this is about players realizing the power they hold.

When they aren't getting paid and aren't actual employees, they know they have to look out for themselves, and should look out for themselves. Whether it's not trusting the adults in the process (the Minnesota situation) or just understanding the health risks at hand (skipping bowls, leaving for the NFL), players are becoming more aware of their situations and more aware of their power.

Nothing much has changed from 10 years ago, other than the greater discussion of these ideas. All players can do is make the decisions they think are best for them. All we can do is understand each player gets one shot at this, and the decision they make is their decision.

Don't like the idea of players getting paid? That's fine. Then this reality will expand. But if college players were paid, this whole dynamic would change. And maybe more guys on the fence would stay in college.

7. Nine Buckeyes left early for the NFL last season. This year, it's five and counting, with Marshon Lattimore and Marcus Baugh still to decide. Is that a problem for Ohio State? It's like asking if wearing Nike is a problem, or if playing at night is a problem or if wearing an alternate uniform is a problem. It's just a way of life now for Ohio State football.

Updated Ohio State scholarship chart

8. It's better than the alternative - not having any players talented enough to turn pro early.

9. It's also a reminder of this - Ohio State should never redshirt. Eleven true freshmen played this year, which is much better than 2015, when only four played. But that's still not enough.

Twelve freshmen redshirted this season. That's too many. Give them even a little taste. With offensive linemen, it makes sense. Otherwise, play them. By year five, they'll either be headed to the NFL or the Buckeyes will want to clear the roster space for the next recruiting class.

Which freshmen played in 2016?

All that's standing between the Cavs and Kyle Korver now is Mike Dunleavy's physical, which he'll take Tuesday with the Hawks. Watch video

PHOENIX -- Mike Dunleavy has dropped his demand for a buyout of his contract from Atlanta and is on his way there tonight, sources told cleveland.com.

What this means for the Cavs, barring Dunleavy's failing of his physical early Tuesday, which is unexpected, Kyle Korver should be in uniform for Cleveland's game against the Utah Jazz that night.

On Saturday, the Cavs acquired Korver in a trade with the Hawks for Dunleavy, Mo Williams, a 2019 first-round pick and cash.

Korver has been with the Cavs since Sunday but has been unable to do anything because Dunleavy didn't report to the Hawks and take his physical. He was seeking a buyout of his contract, but has dropped those demands, multiple sources confirmed.

The Vertical first reported Dunleavy's change of heart. As of Monday morning, Dunleavy was determined not to report to the Hawks and was attempting to negotiate a buyout. Sources told cleveland.com he was upset to be traded from the Cavs, was impressed with the atmosphere on the team, and wanted to play for a contender.

The Cavs agreed to extend a 5 p.m. deadline for the trade to be completed so Dunleavy could get to Atlanta and pass his physical. The centerpiece of this deal for the Hawks is the first-round pick, which they get for Korver, who will be a free agent at season's end.

Duns holding up Korver deal

The Cavs don't think Korver will be able to participate in shootaround Tuesday morning, but would likely play him if they're able. He's a career 42.9-percent shooter from 3-point range and is expected to fit well catching passes from LeBron James and Kyrie Irving.

Korver was supposed to practice with the Cavs Monday, but Dunleavy's situation prevented that, and the team canceled practice anyway. Cleveland beat Phoenix 120-116 on Sunday.

Dunleavy had back surgery prior to the start of last season but passed the Cavs' physical to come to Cleveland last summer, and should pass Atlanta's physical Tuesday.

When the trade is final, the Cavs will have a vacant roster spot with Williams gone. They are looking to create another by moving the contract of Chris Andersen, and possibly a third spot as well.

The trade deadline is Feb. 23 and the deadline for free agents to sign and play in the playoffs is March 1.

Browns' associate head coach/offense Pep Hamilton has accepted the job at Michigan as Jim Harbaugh's QB coach and passing game coordinator.

CLEVELAND, Ohio --  One day after a shakeup on defense, the Browns' top offensive assistant is leaving.

Associate head coach/offense  Pep Hamilton has accepted the Michigan quarterback coach and passing game coordinator job.

His departure comes one day after the Browns fired defensive coordinator Ray Horton and replaced him with Gregg Williams.

The moves represent an overhaul of the Browns' coaching staff, which is coming off a 1-15 season. It remains to be seen if Jackson will replace Hamilton, or rely more on senior offensive assistant Al Saunders, who's also receivers coach.

Hue Jackson said Sunday that he was confident Hamilton would stay and hoped he would. He made it clear, however, that he would continue to call his own plays regardless of what happened.

"Yes, I will,'' he said. "I don't know why I wouldn't. Until I get this organization where I need it to be, I need to continue to do what I think I have done in the past to play winning football. Obviously, we didn't do it as well this past year. Trust me, I have looked at myself, too. Hue Jackson has to get better as well as anybody has to get better.

Hamilton will be reunited at Michigan with his former Stanford boss Jim Harbaugh, for whom he was receivers coach in 2010. Hamilton went on to become offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach in 2011-12.

Fired by the Colts midway through the 2015 season and still being paid by Indianapolis in 2016, Hamilton had a challenging year with the Browns.

He lost his top two quarterbacks in each of the first two weeks in Robert Griffin III and Josh McCown, and was forced to start a rookie in Cody Kessler for eight games.

The Browns finished 30th overall on offense, including 19th against the rush and 28th against the pass. They were 31st in points per game.

Jackson on Williams: 'I need growth over there as fast as I can get it'

Jackson cautioned on Sunday that more staff changes were coming, including the additions and subtractions that Williams will make on defense. He's expected to hire about four new assistants.

"I'm still looking at everything,'' Jackson said. "This is a thorough evaluation of our staff. "I'm going to do this brick by brick. There could be more changes because guys have better opportunities. There could be more changes because I think something is going to improve us and make us better.''

Jackson took continuity into consideration, but the chance to improve outweighed it.

 "That was a huge piece of it because I know what it looks like and I know what it feels like for everybody here - 'Here are the Browns again changing out,' - but it's not about that,'' he said. "Everybody would be disappointed in me if I did not as the leader make tough decisions. You're kind of damned if you do and damned if you don't. I don't worry about that. This is really about my vision.''

Clemson and Alabama will meet on Monday night in the college football National Championship.

TAMPA, Fla. -- No. 1 Alabama and No. 2 Clemson will meet in a college football National Championship rematch on Monday night in Tampa. 

Game coverage on ESPN will begin at 8 p.m. ET. Follow along here for live scoring updates, stats, tweets from reporters at the game and a chat as the Tiger look to avenge a loss to the Crimson Tide in last year's National Championship. 

Updates and the chat will appear in the comments section below.

Get more information on ESPN's multi-cast format for the National Championship here.

Four teams from Northeast Ohio, one for each division, received nods in the top 10. The highest is Lorain, which check in at No. 7 in the Division I poll.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Associated Press released its initial state boys basketball poll Monday. Votes are cast around Ohio from media members.

Four teams from Northeast Ohio, one for each division, received nods in the top 10. The highest is Lorain, which check in at No. 7 in the Division I poll. The Titans (7-2) entered the season ranked No. 1 in the cleveland.com Top 25 and returned to that spot this week.

Defending Division IV state champion Cornerstone Christian (8-3) returns its core from last season's run, but checked in at No. 8 in the initial poll. St. Vincent-St. Mary, a state finalist last season in Division II, is ranked sixth. Villa Angela-St. Joseph, which reached Columbus in Division III, is eighth in that set of rankings.

Also, St. Edward received a first-place vote in Division I but did not crack the top 10.

Here are the rankings.

DIVISION I

Also receiving votes: 11, Lakewood St. Edward (1) 29. 12, Tol. St. John's 23. 13, Madison 20. 14, N. Can. Hoover 18. 15, Cin. La Salle 16. 15, Cle. St. Ignatius (1) 16. 17, Clayton Northmont 15. 18, Mentor 13. 19, Mason 12.

DIVISION II

Also receiving votes: 11, Lexington 30. 12, Cle. Benedictine 28. 13, Cin. Wyoming 26. 14, Cin. Taft 19. 14, Vermilion 19. 16, Struthers (1) 18. 17, Jefferson Area 17. 18, Parma Hts. Holy Name 16. 18, Wauseon 16. 20, Byesville Meadowbrook 13.

DIVISION III

Also receiving votes: 11, Richwood N. Union 19. 11, N. Lima S. Range (1) 19. 13, Van Buren 17. 14, Spencerville 16. 14, Berlin Hiland 16. 16, Lynchburg-Clay 13.

DIVISION IV

Also receiving votes: 11, Bristol 23. 12, Cincinnati Christian 22. 13, Canal Winchester Harvest Prep 21. 14, Sidney Fairlawn 18. 14, Toronto 18. 16, Cols. Wellington 17. 17, Russia 15. 18, Strasburg-Franklin 13. 18, Cle. Hts. Lutheran E. 13. 20, S. Charleston SE 12.

What do you think of the vote? Sound off in the comments section.

But as VASJ coach Babe Kwasniak said in the preseason and above video, teams shouldn't pay these much attention.

The Cleveland Browns' coaching staff is changing -- and that is not necessarily a bad thing.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- I chatted with host Nick Wilson of The Nick Wilson Experiment on 92.3 The Fan on Monday night. It is the first of a scheduled weekly segment in 2017.

Main topics from Jan. 9, all about the Browns:

*Ray Horton's firing.

*Gregg Williams' hiring.

*Pep Hamilton's exit.

*Deshaun Watson and the Senior Bowl.

*Hue Jackson's potential connection with Watson at the Senior Bowl.

Here's I ranked the top 25 college football teams at the close of the season.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The 2016 college football season is over. Clemson is your national champion.

The Tigers beat Alabama, 35-31, in a thrilling College Football Playoff National Championship that ended early Tuesday morning in Tampa, Fla. That's the title that matters. There's a reason we have a playoff.

But you get a trophy for finishing No. 1 in the Associated Press college football poll, too. So Clemson will be bringing home multiple pieces of hardware. The final AP poll of 2016 season will be released shortly after the end of the National Championship.

Here's my full ballot for the final AP college football poll of the 2016 season:

1. Clemson (14-1)

2. Alabama (14-1)

3. USC (11-3)

4. Penn State (11-3)

5. Ohio State (11-2)

6. Washington (12-2)

7. Florida State (10-3)

8. Michigan (10-3)

9. Wisconsin (11-3)

10. Oklahoma (11-2)

11. Oklahoma State (10-3)

12. Colorado (10-4)

13. Stanford (10-3)

14. Western Michigan (13-1)

15. Tennessee (9-4)

16. Virginia Tech (10-4)

17. Florida (9-4)

18. LSU (8-4)

19. Utah (9-4)

20. UNC (8-5)

21. Louisville (9-4)

22. South Florida (11-2)

23. Miami (9-4)

24. Pitt (8-5)

25. Georgia Tech (9-4)

Deshaun Watson's 2-yard touchdown pass to Hunter Renfrow with 1 second remaining gave Clemson a wild 35-31 win over Alabama in the College Football Playoff national championship game.

Deshaun Watson's 2-yard touchdown pass to Hunter Renfrow with 1 second remaining gave Clemson a wild 35-31 win over Alabama in the College Football Playoff national championship game.

Watson completed 36 of 56 passes for 420 yards and three scores in his last college game, as the Tigers (14-1) got their first national title since 1981.

Renfrow caught two scoring passes for Clemson, which rallied from a 14-0 deficit and snapped Alabama's 26-game winning streak.

Bo Scarbrough ran for two touchdowns for Alabama (14-1), which failed in its quest to be the first 15-win major college team since Penn in 1897. Scarbrough left the game with a leg injury in the second half.

Alabama beat Clemson 45-40 last season in the title game. This sequel was as thrilling as the original.

Clemson put up 511 yards on Alabama's defense, held the ball for nearly 35 minutes and scored three touchdowns in the fourth quarter. Clemson then recovered an onside kick, and fittingly that gave Watson a chance to kneel down for the game's final play -- then streamed onto the field in celebration.

We take a look at the broadcast coverage of college football's national championship between Alabama and Clemson.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Here's our analysis of ESPN's coverage of the national championship between the University of Alabama and Clemson University:

Chris Fowler (play by play) and Kirk Herbstreit (analyst, played at Ohio State) had the call - a solid duo who work well together, are very steady and not overly flashy. Early on we hear it's the first outdoor championship game staged in the playoff era.

On-site studio analysts in Tampa: Rece Davis, David Pollack (played at Georgia) and Desmond Howard (Cleveland native who played at Michigan). Howard, in blue and white striped suit, was a bit loud and came off like a graduate of the Stephen A. Smith Announcing School.

Quotes

"Clemson is a man-to-man team, and if you can get to the outside you can have room to run." - Fowler, early on. Alabama took an equal-opportunity running approach Monday, shooting between tackles and along the sideline.

"Keep in mind, this Clemson defense has been one of the best all year." - Fowler. Fine point, except Alabama is no slouch either, topping the nation in points allowed per game, at 11.2.

"That happens a lot. These guys are so violent on defense they sometimes hurt each other when they collide." - Fowler on Alabama's Ruben Foster getting hurt on a play when a teammate knocked into him as they broke through Clemson's offensive line. Cameras showed the medical tent on the sidelines, where Foster was receiving treatment.

Alabama entered the game 14-0 while Clemson was 13-0. (Chris O'Meara, Associated Press)Chris O'Meara, Associated Press 

Final comment

"Clemson Tigers, new kings of college football." - Fowler, on Clemson winning 35-31.

About Alabama QB Jalen Hurts

After the Alabama quarterback rushed for a touchdown with 2:07 remaining:

"And the veteran's (Clemson's Deshaun Watson) brilliance is answered with the rookie's moxie, Kirk." - Fowler.

"A legend is born tonight in Jalen Hurts." - Herbstreit.

No kidding

"The two best teams have muscled their ways to Tampa. Someone is going to be kissing that trophy within the next four hours." - Fowler.

Multiple channels

At least half a dozen channels had live coverage of the game via ESPN's "magacast," including ESPNU and its cadre of analysts including Bill Walton dressed as Uncle Sam ("I was a tremendous football player!") and Jay Bilas. At one point during halftime, Rachel Nichols was shown eating, three "analysts" were gazing at their phones, and all were yammering over each other.

ESPNWHD - a "coaches film room" roundtable - kept a clock counting down the time remaining for halftime as first-half highlights ran on a split screen.

Additional channels don't necessarily translate to a better informed football public.

Incidentally, most of the commercial breaks were simultaneous, so ads weren't totally avoidable.

ESPN used a "megacast" allowing viewers to tune into multiple channels for the game. (Chris O'Meara, Associated Press)Chris O'Meara, Associated Press 

Tuning in

Musical theme used repeatedly in pregame and in commercial bumpers was "Gimme Shelter," the classic 1969 song from the Rolling Stones' "Oh, a storm is threat'ning ..." Odd choice, great song. We thought a Martin Scorsese movie was going to break out.

About ... LeBron James?

"Has LeBron recovered from Ohio State's shutout loss in the semifinal?" - Fowler.

"I'm sure he's still recovering." - Herbstreit.

No. 3 Clemson defeated No. 2 Ohio State 31-0 in their playoff game on Dec. 31.

Selling space

Everything can be sold. ''National Championship Presented by AT&T" ran in the upper left corner throughout the game. Buick sponsored halftime. Alabama fans didn't just cheer in the student section; it was the "Taco Bell Student Section." And in keeping with the theme, Dos Equis' most interesting man in the world played college football "in high school."

About that ref

Always amazing how many fans comment on the biceps of officials in football games. "Big fella's ready to roll!" - Fowler said about referee Mike Defee, who drew plenty of comments via Twitter for his biceps. Defee is from the Big 12.

This Big-12 ref is JACKED. Ed Hochuli, eat your heart out.

-- Alex Haddon (@SECblog) January 10, 2017

Angles

* Three replays used three camera angles on Alabama's first touchdown, to make sure Bo Scarbrough crossed the plane.

* When Watson scored for Clemson in the second quarter, a couple of camera replays keyed on the Tigers' signal-caller balancing his way into the end zone after being hit.

* Great replays on Watson getting helicoptered on a tackle in the third quarter, though no one commented on the helmet hit from the Alabama defender on the play.

It was the first national championship game under the current playoff format to be played outside. (John Bazemore, Associated Press)John Bazemore, Associated Press 

Insights

* ESPN was quick to point out after Scarbrough ran for a touchdown for the game's first points that it was "only the fourth time Clemson gave up a first-quarter touchdown" all season.

* Immediately after a third-quarter fumble from Clemson we learned that since 2008, Alabama opponents - when they turn the ball over two or more times - are 2-64 against the Crimson Tide.

* The third-quarter touchdown to O.J. Howard was the longest pass play Clemson allowed all season, Fowler said, and moments later Herbstreit showed why the tight end was so open (the Tigers defense looked to defend a short pass, and Howard burst through the secondary and was wide open).

* Fowler was quick with pertinent stats all night: Alabama had allowed only three rushing touchdowns all night, and Clemson had two Monday, Fowler said. The second gave Clemson the lead late in the game, and the Crimson Tide had not trailed in the fourth quarter all season.

Sights and sounds

* A quick shot of fans in the first quarter showed Clemson fans wearing reproductions of old-fashioned leather helmets.

* Kudos to Herbstreit for predicting Watson would pooch-punt on fourth and one in the third quarter.

* Nice shot in the fourth quarter showing New York City's Empire State Building lit in a colorful array of both Clemson and Alabama colors.

The 2017 national championship pitted Alabama and Clemson - a repeat of the teams in the 2016 game. (John Bazemore, Associated Press)John Bazemore, Associated Press 

Improvements

* Would like to see and hear more about Clemson's play-calling quadrant poster boards on the sidelines. Occasionally cameras would show assorted photos and sketches like a rabbit, Bart Simpson, a graduate's mortarboard and other images.

* Shots of the front of Watson's Clemson uniform showed a "Fuller 1975 1978" insignia. It wasn't mentioned, but the reference is a tribute to Steve Fuller, a former Clemson QB whose number is retired. Sort of. (Watson's other patches on the front of his billboard-like jersey included the Nike swoosh, the ACC logo, the captain's C, a Tiger print and the 2017 emblem with the '0' in the shape of a football - same as the one on the field. Which would be more appropriate for the Super Bowl, held in 2-17.)

* Toward the end of halftime on ESPN2, former Clemson quarterback Tajh Boyd's sideline commentary could barely be heard over Ozzy Osbourne's "Crazy Train."

Golden State coach Steve Kerr went out of his way Sunday to take a shot at the Cleveland Cavaliers and their fans.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Golden State coach Steve Kerr went out of his way to take a shot at the Cleveland Cavaliers and their fans Sunday while answering questions about the new basketball arena in Sacramento.

Kerr, whose Warriors had just defeated host Sacramento 117-106, was asked if he noticed the scoreboard at Golden 1 Center, the new home of the Kings that opened in September.

"Does it say 'The Diff' on it, like Cleveland's?" Kerr asked reporters. "That's always good. In case you can't do math."

Steve Kerr enjoys "The Diff" feature on the Cavs scoreboard "in case you can't do math" pic.twitter.com/NnpIuHF7ex

-- Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) January 9, 2017

Kerr was referencing a feature that has been a part of Cleveland's video board since 2006. The Diff lets fans know the difference in score between the Cavs and their opponent.

For example: at the end of Game 6 of the 2016 NBA Finals, The Diff read +14, because the Cavaliers were ahead of Kerr's Warriors 115-101.

Hypothetically, if Game 7 had been played in Cleveland, The Diff would have read +4 at the end of the game after Kyrie Irving hit The Shot and LeBron James added a free throw to seal Cleveland's rally from a 3-1 deficit to clinch the city's first title in 52 years. (Lots of math in there)

On Christmas Day, The Diff would have read +1 after Kyrie Irving's turnaround jumper gave Cleveland its fourth consecutive win against Kerr's team, 109-108.

The Diff read +1 after Kyrie Irving hit this shot against Golden State on Christmas Day.Joe Noga/cleveland.com 

According to a 2006 blog entry by Quicken Loans, The Diff was born when a fan submitted the idea through a Cavaliers customer satisfaction website aimed at improving guest experiences at The Q.

When Humongotron, the Cavaliers enormous video board debuted during the 2014 season, The Diff remained part of the fan experience.

2014: Details on the new scoreboard at The Q

Love it or hate it, The Diff is a part of the championship culture the Cavaliers have built at Quicken Loans Arena. And Kerr's chides aside, the feature likely isn't going anywhere soon.

Meanwhile, Kerr's reaction in Sacramento gives an indication as to where his head is, and likely where the rest of the Warriors thoughts are when they're not playing another team.

Sure, math is hard. But lately if you're from the Bay Area, beating the Cavaliers is harder.

We know it has its pluses and minuses but glad you like it, Steve. @cavs @TheQArena https://t.co/SheqH0zm6M

-- Dan Gilbert (@cavsdan) January 10, 2017

Hey @SteveKerr, thanks for the shoutout.... Go Cavs? https://t.co/A3I4gxlBhd

-- Qumongo (@HUMONGOTRON) January 10, 2017

Aurora football's Bubba Arslanian is the cleveland.com Defensive Player of the Year for 2016.

AURORA, Ohio — Aurora senior linebacker Bubba Arslanian is the 2016 cleveland.com Defensive Player of the Year after helping his Greenmen to a 10-2 record and an appearance in the Division II, Region 5 semifinals.

The 6-foot-1, 210-pound linebacker had 137 tackles, 61 solos, 14 tackles for loss, three sacks, six QB hurries, three forced fumbles, two interceptions and a fumble recovery in the regular season for Aurora.

Arslanian was also a first team All-Ohioan in Division II.

Shortly after the season, Arslanian picked up an offer from Akron, his first Division I college offer.

“It gives you a sense of pride knowing that somebody has trust in you that you’re going to be an impact player for their program. And hopefully I can do that,” Arslanian said.

Watch the video about for Arslanian’s reaction and thoughts on receiving the award.