Cleveland sports fans wonder about Gregg Williams' pedigree as defensive coordinator and which former Browns top draft pick will stand out in the AFC playoffs.

Check out this week's cleveland.com girls basketball Top 25 featuring moves by Euclid, St. Vincent-St. Mary and Lake Ridge.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Solon and Gilmour are among the teams in this week’s cleveland.com Top 25 scheduled to play in this year’s Classic in the Country girls basketball showcase.

Shaker Heights, who is on the outside of the rankings, will also represent the area along with Magnificat, Archbishop Hoban and Wadsworth at Berlin Hiland at the three-day event starting Saturday.

Euclid, who dropped in this week’s rankings, will host five schools during the Martin Luther Jr. Showcase on Sunday with teams from Geneva, Cleveland Heights and ranked teams Bay, Eastlake North and Stow.

See what other teams dropped in this week’s Top 25. Check back on Tuesdays unless otherwise stated for the weekly rankings.

Records as of Jan. 9 at 9:30 p.m.

1. Solon (8-2)

Last Week: Ranked No. 1, beat Brunswick 65-31 and Saturday vs. then No. 22 Strongsville 61-45

This Week: Wednesday vs. No. 6 Mentor, Sunday vs. Huber Heights Wayne and Monday vs. Lakota West (both at Classic in the Country)

2. Gilmour (8-3)

Last Week: Ranked No. 2, beat then No. 13 St. Vincent-St. Mary 63-50 and then No. 11 Euclid 68-62

This Week: Thursday vs. Cornerstone Christian, Sunday vs. Mason and Monday vs. Berlin Hiland (both at Classic in the Country)

3. Twinsburg (9-3)

Last Week: Ranked No. 3, beat Nordonia  46-40 and Cuyahoga Falls 56-48

This Week: Wednesday at No. 8 Magnificat, Saturday at North Royalton

4. Stow (8-2)

Last Week: Ranked No. 4, beat Brecksville 59-19 and North Royalton 53-28

This Week: Wednesday at Revere, Sunday vs. Geneva (Euclid MLK Jr. Showcase)

5. St. Joseph Academy (10-1)

Last Week: Ranked No. 6, beat then-No. 12 Archbishop Hoban 51-48 and Cleveland Central Catholic 73-54

This Week: Wednesday at Cleveland Heights, Saturday at Archbishop Alter

6. Mentor (10-2)

Last week: Ranked No. 10, beat then-No. 22 Strongsville 42-38 and Elyria 53-45

This Week: Wednesday at No. 1 Solon

7. Wadsworth (6-5)

Last Week: Ranked No. 5, beat Hudson 58-39 and Nordonia 48-39

This Week: Saturday vs. Glen Este and Sunday vs. Mount Notre Dame (both at Classic in the Country)

8. Magnificat (5-6)

Last Week: Ranked No. 7, beat Walsh Jesuit 66-41 and  Youngstown Ursuline 52-39

This Week: Wednesday vs. No. 3 Twinsburg, Saturday vs. Rocky River, Monday at West Holmes (Classic in the County)

9. Laurel (11-0)

Last week: Ranked No. 9, beat Cleveland Heights 47-40 and Cornerstone Christian 52-39

This Week: Tuesday vs. Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy, Thursday at Western Reserve Academy and Friday vs. Beachwood

10. Hathaway Brown (6-7)

Last Week: Ranked No. 8, beat Rogers 66-55 and then-No. 13 St. Vincent-St. Mary 58-39

This Week: Wednesday at Massillon Perry

Rest of the Top 25:  11. Archbishop Hoban (7-5), 12. Garrettsville Garfield (12-1), 13. Amherst (9-2), 14. Berea-Midpark (9-1), 15. Euclid (6-4), 16. Elyria Catholic (9-2), 17. St. Vincent St. Mary (3-7), 18. Revere (8-2), 19. Bay (10-2), 20. Lake Ridge (8-3), 21. Brush (12-1), 22. Strongsville (7-5), 23. Eastlake North (9-1), 24. Padua (10-1), 25. Lakewood (8-3).

*On the bubble: Shaker Heights (5-5), Medina (4-7), Chardon (7-3), Brunswick (2-10), Nordonia (6-6), John Hay (8-2), Norton (9-3), East Tech (8-3), Normandy (8-3), Maple Heights (8-4), Bedford (7-4), Keystone (9-3), Westlake (8-3), Walsh Jesuit (3-10) and Perry (11-0).

Closing: The Top 10 remains intact after a week of activity in the area. The biggest move to come in the Top 25 is Euclid dropping for a second straight week by four spots and moving up Archbishop Hoban and Garrettsville Garfield.

The Panthers played two close games against Greater Cleveland Conference opponents Brunswick and Medina. Euclid narrowly escaped with a win against Brunswick, and was unable to overcome two losses against Gilmour (68-62) and to Medina (55-50). With the Bees record, the win is not enough to push them back into the Top 25. This is the same team that remains below .500 and has significant losses against Lakewood and conference opponents Shaker Heights and Strongsville.

St. Vincent-St. Mary drops three spots after giving up two game by 13 points or more to Gilmour and Hathaway Brown. The move makes room for Amherst and Berea-Midpark to climb up three spots as the leaders in the Southwestern Conference.

Lake Ridge took its first dip in the rankings after giving up a 56-28 loss to Bay. The Rockets looked alert at home while the Royals struggled to find any production from its young group without post player Sydney Mayberry. Lake Ridge dropped its third game, 61-57, to Fairview on Monday.

Bay, Elyria Catholic and a handful of teams moved up as a result of the Royals dropping five spots.

Lastly, Strongsville remains at No. 22 after two losses to Greater Cleveland Conference leaders Solon and Mentor. The Mustangs, who are above the .500 mark, are holding their own in the conference and have some impressive wins to keep their spot.

Cleveland Browns fans are still waiting for the next Bernie Kosar. Like Kosar, Mitch Trubisky is a Northeast Ohio quarterback in the draft.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- "What if he's another Bernie Kosar?"

That's what someone mentioned to me when we were talking about Mitch Trubisky.

The former Mentor High School quarterback announced Monday that he has declared for the 2017 NFL Draft. The Cleveland Browns have the first pick.

It's hard to find a draft expert anywhere who has Trubisky projected as the best player in the draft. The same is true of any other quarterback.

But what if the Browns don't use their No. 1 pick on Trubisky?

They also have the No. 12 pick in the draft, but it would be a shock if Trubisky remained available.

If they don't quickly grab the North Carolina quarterback, another team will.

I mean, someone picking right after the Browns.

San Francisco has the No. 2 pick. Chicago has the No. 3 pick.

Both franchises are desperate for quarterbacks.

That doesn't include a team possibly trading up into the top three to draft a quarterback.

That happened last year ... twice.

The Los Angeles Rams moved up to No. 1, trading with the Tennessee Titans. The Rams selected Jared Goff, who had a miserable rookie season.

The Philadelphia Eagles moved up to No. 2, trading with the Browns. The Eagles picked Carson Wentz, who had an up-and-down rookie season but does show some real promise.

THE KOSAR STORY

Browns fans are always looking for the next Kosar, or at least another Brian Sipe.

They understandably want a quarterback to make them proud of the Browns once again.

Neither quarterback won a title, but Kosar and Sipe turned the 1980s into a fun decade for Browns fans. The team usually was a contender. The quarterbacks were likable. The games were "must-watch TV" for local football fans.

Sipe was a 13th-round draft pick in 1972 -- the 330th player chosen. He didn't even appear in a game for two years.

He really doesn't fit into this discussion.

Kosar was the No. 1 selection in the 1985 Supplemental Draft. It's the same draft where the Browns picked Josh Gordon in the second round in 2012.

It's a complicated story about how Kosar manipulated the draft so that he could play for the Browns. The Browns traded first-round picks in 1985 and 1986, along with third- and sixth-round picks to Buffalo for the top pick in the Supplemental Draft.

Then they selected Kosar.

Kosar played only two seasons at the University of Miami. The Youngstown native was a redshirt as a freshman. He was in school for three years, graduated, and then went the Supplemental Draft route.

WHAT ABOUT BERNIE?

There are several differences between Kosar and Trubisky:

1. Trubisky has only 13 college starts. The only other first-round quarterbacks who were starters for one season are Mark Sanchez and Cam Newton. Sanchez has had a so-so career. Newton is a good player who led Carolina to a Super Bowl.

2. Kosar started 25 games over two seasons for Miami.

3. Trubisky might not be the top-rated quarterback by every team. I've heard some teams believe Notre Dame's DeShone Kizer is the most talented quarterback in the draft, despite his mixed success with the Irish. He had a 12-11 record as a starter for the Irish.

4. Kosar was -- by far -- the best quarterback in 1985. The first quarterback picked in the regular 1985 draft was Randall Cunningham, a second-rounder by Philadelphia. Frank Reich was selected in the third round. The other name quarterback was Doug Flutie, an 11th-round pick.

5. The reason the Browns were so desperate to find a way to secure Kosar was the lack of other choices. Cunningham ended up having a good NFL career. Flutie had some nice moments.

6. Kosar led his team to the national title in his first college season. They were 8-5 and ranked in the top 25 in his second season for the Hurricanes.

LOOKING FOR ANSWERS

Trubisky was a redshirt freshman, then sat behind a more athletic Marquise Williams the next two seasons. Williams was not picked in the 2016 NFL Draft.

From an age factor, Trubisky is ready. He's 22. He has spent four years at North Carolina. Despite having one year of eligibility left, he had to turn pro. The risk of injury is real.

If the Browns draft him, then they almost have to take the North Carolina approach.

Not waiting three years for him to start, but at least turning 2017 into a redshirt year.

Very, very few NFL teams resist the temptation to play a top quarterback pick. That's because they usually are desperate for a quarterback in the first place.

The Rams rushed top pick Jared Goff into action at mid-season. He lost all seven of his starts. He threw only five touchdowns compared to seven interceptions, and also fumbled five times.

He wasn't close to ready.

THE BEST PLAN

The Sun Bowl loss to Stanford showed the good and bad for Trubisky.

He threw two interceptions, and lost track of the safeties. He was confused by the defense a few times.

He also led a fourth-quarter comeback. He was cool under pressure, not losing his poise when his receivers dropped some passes.

Trubisky is not another Bernie Kosar. But is he good enough to be viable starter in the NFL?

Maybe Trubisky is the next Ryan Tannehill or Andy Dalton. Both opened their rookie seasons as starters. They survived the pressure and the low periods. They are not stars, but have led their teams into the playoffs.

But if the Browns do take Trubisky, that should not be the approach. They need to find someone else to start. Robert Griffin III is not my favorite option, partly because of his lack of durability.

The Browns face a franchise-changing decision.

Do they gamble on Trubisky at No. 1? Or do they take a possible defensive star such as Myles Garrett or Jonathan Allen?

I find myself leaning in the direction of the best player available, period.

But, I know ... what if he is the next Kosar and the Browns missed him? When it comes to the draft, there's always a fear the Browns will miss a chance to find a quarterback.

Led by Player of the Year Bubba Arslanian, see who made the cleveland.com football all-star first-team on defense.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Presenting the 2016 cleveland.com all-star football team.

Here is the defense, led by Player of the Year Bubba Arslanian from Aurora. This team was selected by cleveland.com reporters and includes players from around Northeast Ohio regardless of division.

Sixty of Northeast Ohio’s best players are recognized on defense and at punter.

DEFENSIVE ENDS

Naz Bohannon, Lorain

Height: 6-6

Weight: 218

Year: Senior

About Bohannon: One of the area’s most daunting playmakers, Bohannon starred at receiver and as an edge rusher who could line up against receivers. He had 63 total tackles in the regular season, helping Lorain win the Lake Erie League and advancing to its first Division I regional final. Bohannon is currently weighing his options as a football and basketball player. He also is an honors student.

Justin Sampson, STVM

Height: 6-2

Weight: 215

Year: Senior

About Sampson: He showed flair as a receiver, but Sampson stood out as a defensive end and is headed to the University of Akron for it. Sampson provided 13.5 sacks this season, which ranks him seventh among the school’s single-season records.

Honorable mention: Ryder Davis, Chardon, Sr.; Justin Herold, St. Edward, Sr.; Cam King, Elyria, Sr.; Daeshon Martin, Archbishop Hoban, Jr.; Aaron Naples, Brunswick, Sr.; Jaylin Nolden, Euclid, Sr.; Quentin Pardon, Lorain, Sr.; Izzy Watson, Mayfield, Sr.

DEFENSIVE TACKLES

Michael Chime, St. Ignatius

Height: 6-1

Weight: 260

Year: Senior

About Chime: An end and tackle in St. Ignatius’ three-man front, Chime finished with 58.5 tackles and 25.5 for a loss. He had nine sacks and two forced fumbles. Chime shined in the state championship vs. Cincinnati St. Xavier. His punt block that he also recovered for a touchdown pushed the Wildcats in control for the first half.

Jabari Taylor, Archbishop Hoban

Height: 6-3

Weight: 255

Year: Senior

About Taylor: Mid-American Conference schools picked up interest in Taylor on the Knights’ defense. “He’s somebody that I’m sure there’s folks from our league that are going to be happy to see him graduate,” assistant coach Tom Paris said after a regional semifinal win against St. Vincent-St. Mary. Taylor proved to be a menace that night and all the way to Hoban’s second straight state championship. Taylor played each position on Hoban’s defensive front from nose to end.

Honorable mention: Spencer Berthold, Midview, Sr.; De’Andre Brimage, Akron East, Sr.; Tyrone Chambers, Brush, Sr.; Joe Gibbons, St. Ignatius, Sr.; Camryn Hubbard, University School, Jr.; Cameron Judge, Avon, Sr.; Kylen McCracken, Cleveland Heights, Jr.; Adrian Woliver, Stow, So.

LINEBACKERS

Bubba Arslanian, Aurora

Height: 6-1

Weight: 210

Year: Senior

About Arslanian: Aurora won 10 straight games, earned the top seed in Division II, Region 5 and Arslanian was called “the best player we’ve ever had” by 16th-year coach Bob Mihalik. The Greenmen finished 10-2. In the regular season, Arslanian compiled 137 tackles with 14 for a loss. He also had two interceptions, a forced fumble, three recoveries and a defensive touchdown. He is the cleveland.com Defensive Player of the Year.

Matt Brown, Solon

Height: 6-0

Weight: 210

Year: Senior

About Brown: The Greater Cleveland Conference MVP, Brown accumulated 155 tackles with two interceptions. He scored off one in a back-and-forth win at Medina for the GCC crown. Brown also forced three fumbles. Brown is undecided between playing football or lacrosse in college.

Adam Shibley, St. Ignatius

Height: 6-1

Weight: 225

Year: Senior

About Shibley: St. Ignatius had three senior linebackers worthy of selection here, including middle linebacker John Velotta and James Leyden. Shibley provided a team-high 72 tackles with 20.5 for a loss and 7.5 sacks. He helped St. Ignatius to five shutouts.

Honorable mention: Alex Beck, Hudson, Sr.; Brandon Bischof, STVM, Sr.; Joe Cyvas, Chardon, Sr.; Omar Fattah, St. Edward, Jr.; Joe Gobble, Stow, Sr.; Eric Steinmetz, Avon, Sr.; John Velotta, St. Ignatius, Sr.

DEFENSIVE BACKS

Melvin Jackson, St. Edward

Height: 6-0

Weight: 170

Year: Senior

About Jackson: Quarterbacks threw his way if they dared. Jackson had 62 tackles and four interceptions, including a fourth-quarter pick in the regional final vs. St. Ignatius that helped the Eagles rally to force overtime. His biggest game came in Week 2 at Division II state champion Archbishop Hoban. There, Jackson ended the first half with an interception in the end zone and later supplied a field-goal block that secured the Eagles’ 10-7 win.

Daesean Brooks, Lorain

Height: 6-4

Weight: 180

Year: Senior

About Brooks: He just learned the position after trying out last year and starting as a receiver. Indiana and Purdue are among the biggest schools to show interest in Brooks, who limited standouts in the Lake Erie League, to earn his spot here.

Arquon Bush, Euclid

Height: 5-11

Weight: 157

Year: Junior

About Bush: The Panthers returned to the playoffs in Division I, and Bush’s versatility on the defense helped them get back. He picked off five passes and had 52 tackles in the regular season. Bush’s special teams play netted Euclid five touchdowns on punt returns and is receiving Division I college interest.

Ja’Vonte Richardson, Maple Heights

Height: 6-4

Weight: 216

Year: Senior

About Richardson: A Kentucky commit, Richardson thrived both as a wideout and safety. Richardson had 1,190 all-purpose yards with eight touchdowns — he returned kicks, too. Richardson is a three-time Lake Erie League all-star. He is slated to play offense for the Wildcats.

Honorable mention: Michael Ballentine, Mentor, Sr.; Hunter Bateman, Avon Lake, Sr.; Gavin Blunt, Aurora, Jr.; Marquess Callaway, Akron East, Sr.; Zion Cross, Lorain, Jr.; Jaylon Doss, Copley, Sr.; Jordan Fabry, Crestwood, Sr.; Andy Foley, Perry, Sr.; Davidson Gaggi, Olmsted Falls, Sr.; Luke Hunt, Midview, Sr.; DeAmonte King, STVM, Sr.; Jake McCurry, Solon, Sr.; Nick Pankow, Medina, Sr.; Josh Petruccelli, Perry, Sr.; Cameron Toppin, St. Ignatius, Jr.; Scott Walter, STVM, Jr.

PUNTER

Colin Goodfellow, St. Ignatius

Height: 6-2

Weight: 190

Year: Senior

About Goodfellow: A hip pointer suffered in Week 10 at FirstEnergy Stadium couldn’t keep Goodfellow down — or stop him on that punt attempt vs. St. Edward. Goodfellow boomed 44 punts for a 40.3-yard average. He kept nine inside the 20 and allowed only three to reach the end zone for touchbacks. Goodfellow also handled kickoffs and sent 61-of-87 to the end zone.

Honorable mention: Anthony Coneglio, West Geauga, Sr.; Mark Harris, Amherst, Sr.; Aaron Huff, Lorain, Sr.; Derek Kleinzhenz, Mentor, Jr.; Dominick Kriz, Buckeye, Jr.; Mason Lawler, St. Edward, Jr.; Kyle Ulbrich, Lake Catholic, Sr.; Jonah Wieland, Hudson, Sr.; Mason Ziegenfuss, Chardon, Jr.

Several people from Greater Cleveland have landed on Forbes 2017 30 Under 30 list of achievers. The achievers are selected from 20 fields, including science, healthcare, entrepreneurs and more.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cleveland Cavaliers All-Star Point Guard Kyrie Irving, medical researcher Lydia Kisley of Mentor and some other Greater Clevelanders are among Forbes annual "30 Under 30" teens and young adults making significant contributions in healthcare, energy, sports and 17 other fields.

"The 2017 Forbes 30 Under 30 is the most definitive gathering of today's leading young change-makers and innovators in the U.S.," Forbes' Caroline Howard writes in announcing the honorees, which number 600 in 20 fields. "Now in its sixth year, the 30 Under 30 offers an annual opportunity to embrace the optimism, inventiveness and boldness of youth."

Irving, 24, was cited for his honors as an Olympic gold medalist, NBA champion, a three-time All-Star and Rookie of the Year in 2012, as well as sporting his own line of headphones.

Cavs' LeBron James, 32, made the list of honorees in the 30 Under 30 All-Star Alumni category.

Kisley, 28, a 2006 graduate of Mentor High School, is a researcher in the field of microscopy, which examines minute objects using a microscope. She is a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

One of her projects was looking at how nano-particles can be used for cancer treatments, and how they interact with proteins in the blood. She is currently studying how biomolecules interact at surfaces to better design materials used in biosensors and medical implants.

Kisley has her sights set on moving back to Cleveland in 2018.

"My overall goal is to do the science that I love in a city I love and come back to Cleveland," she said. "I would really like to have my own academic research lab so I can pursue my own ideas and work on those, which is developing new microscopy and technologies and technologies to understand materials and how they interact with biomolecules."

Other Forbes magazine honorees with Cleveland-area ties include:

• Muhga Eltigani and Sam Roberts., in the field of Retail & ecommerce. The business partners co-founded NaturALL Club, which sells natural hair care products, including fresh avocado masks that need be frozen until used for women who have curlier hair types.
• Kenneth Smith, 27, of Streetsboro, in the field of science. Smith is a Structural Dynamics Engineer at NASA Langley Research Center.
• Drew Anderson, 29, co-founder of Cleveland Kraut, which specializes in fresh, crunchy, unpasteurized, probiotic sauerkraut.

Others on the list include Gloria Tavera, a medical science training candidate at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, and 14-year-old Mendu Maanasa of Mason, Ohio, the youngest honoree. Mendu created a piezoelectric "leaf" device that harvests energy from sun, wind and rain.

Tavera, 29, from Longwood, Florida, is a founding member and the current president of Universities Allied for Essential Medicines, a global network of university students who believe universities have a responsibility to improve global access to public health goods.

Honorees can nominate themselves or be nominated by people who admire their work. To see all of the honorees and the selection process, go here.

The Clemson quarterback led a comeback to beat Alabama for the national title, and his next step is the 2017 NFL Draft. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Imagine him in another shade of orange, at least for a day. Let Deshaun Watson, the Cleveland Brown, dance in your head a bit. What if some of that confetti from Clemson's National Championship victory over Alabama on Monday night sticks in Watson's shoe and finds its way to the Browns locker room in a few months?

That's the emotional argument for why the quarterback of the National Champion Clemson Tigers should draw interest from the team holding the No. 1 and No. 12 picks in the 2017 NFL Draft.

Soak in that emotion.

You can't just draft a quarterback because he beat Alabama, because once upon a time in 2012, a quarterback named Johnny Manziel beat Alabama. And you can't just draft a quarterback because he won the National Championship, because once upon a time in 2005, a quarterback named Vince Young won the National Championship.

Both Manziel and Young were first-round draft picks, Young at No. 3 to Tennessee and Manziel at No. 22 to the Browns, and the Browns can't afford their next quarterback to follow the Young or Manziel arc. But that's enough of trying to make excuses for not drafting Watson by using failed quarterbacks with vaguely similar backgrounds.

So watch this for your heart.

Then read this for your head.

Watson really is ready for this. He gave off that impression all week before Clemson played Ohio State in a College Football Playoff semifinal in the Fiesta Bowl. A five-star recruit, Watson has been front-and-center in the expectation game for three seasons. He's been plotting this NFL move, even graduating early while knowing he'd leave Clemson after three years.

He's not perfect. But he is the complete package. I spoke with Clemson quarterbacks coach Brandon Streeter for 20 minutes in Arizona, not about what Watson could do to the Buckeyes, but what he could do in the NFL.

Yes, Watson played in the spread and out of shotgun at Clemson. But he's been prepping for the NFL all along.

Poll: Watson, Trubisky or Kizer?

The shotgun obviously isn't unusual in the NFL, and Clemson used it about 95 percent of the time. But Watson worked under center every day before practice, "just to develop those habits and basic footwork coming from center," Streeter said. "He tells me all the time he loves getting under center

Footwork matters. But more important is the way a quarterback can understand and run an offense. So make no mistake - Watson ran this Clemson offense all year.

"His mind is just unbelievable," Streeter said. "Understanding the big picture, Deshaun understands offensive football. He's a very smart kid, he graduated in three years so he's just a bright, bright kid and I know he's going to excel in the NFL, just like he did in high school, just like he did in college. He's going to go to the NFL and do the same thing.

"He eats and breathes football. He's in the film room all the time. He's a gym rat type of kid, and that's what NFL quarterbacks are made of. I think he's going to have no problem transitioning to the NFL."

Like co-offensive coordinator Tony Ellliott, Streeter raved about Watson's note-taking in meetings, impressed that the quarterback who knows the offense the best would still pay the most attention to the details. Streeter plans to show NFL scouts those notes as they come through Clemson. 

It's part of the explanation of how Watson runs the offense.

Watson can be the face of a franchise

Streeter said any comparisons for Tajh Boyd, the successful Clemson quarterback before Watson who never made it in the NFL, misses the mark because of how Watson runs the show.

"In the last two years, we tweaked this offense to better suit an NFL type of quarterback, as far as doing full-field reads and things like that," Streeter said. "What Deshaun does with the protections, which is always a big thing in the NFL, is unbelievable. He changes protections all the time, and I don't believe Tajh did that much.

"Deshaun wants to have control of the protections, of moving people around, flipping protections, picking out his hot reads, things that he thrives on. He loves that."

Streeter every week told Watson to give him the plays he liked best, the ones he thought would work.

"Allow him to be a coach on the field," Streeter said. "We wanted to loosen up the reins and let him control things more. That helps him get prepared for the next level, too.

"There are a lot of run-pass options, and he's got to be decisive. And one of the top things Deshaun does is he's very decisive and he makes good decisions. We allow him to throw it or run it in a lot of different scenarios and most of the time he's right, or he makes it right."

Watson ran it less this season, some of that by design and some it because he grew more comfortable in making all the throws. He could run, but didn't have to. Streeter said Watson's awareness in the pocket is excellent.

"He takes every drill we work on and he's as good as I've seen in moving the pocket and understanding where the tackles are and if we drift or take a drop too deep and don't step up, then it's on us," Streeter said. "And then you have that poise factor of when to get rid of the ball and avoid sacks and find open guys, and he's been very, very good."

And then he wins, against the best. Watson leaves college with a 32-3 record as a starter, with that final victory against the best defense in the nation.

"When it comes down to crunch time, he finds a way to win," Streeter said, and remember, he said this before Monday night, before Clemson overcame an early 14-0 deficit and before Watson threw the title-winning touchdown pass with one second left. 

"He's a winner. You know how many close games we've had. He finds a way to get it done."

So you can go with your heart the day after a game like that. Or you can go with your head. They might lead you to the same point. Deshaun Watson is ready. And the Browns had better give him a look.

From Dwayne Cohill to Jayvon Graves and Jaylen Harris, see the best plays from the first week of January 2017 captured by cleveland.com.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – End-to-end efforts highlight the cleveland.com Boys Basketball Top Plays for Jan. 3-8.

This is the first top plays contest for a week and follows the top plays of December contest, won by St. Ignatius’ Luke Wiskes in a close vote with Danny McGarry of Villa Angela-St. Joseph. See those highlights at the bottom.

First, vote for the top plays of the week by watching the above video and voting in the poll to the right. Players are listed below in order of appearance during the video.

Dwayne Cohill, Holy Name: A junior, Cohill provided a handful of highlights during his 30-point performance at Sunday’s Scholastic Play By Play Classic in Berea.

Jayvon Graves, St. Vincent-St. Mary: Graves and the Fighting Irish also made it to Baldwin Wallace, but Graves’ air show included a dunk on one end and a block on the other.

Jaylen Harris, Cleveland Heights: Harris’ steal set up an easy dunk. He followed with another, as the standout wide receiver on the football field picked off a pass like a defensive back.

Jalil Little, Lorain: The Titans’ 66-64 win against Garfield Heights included Little’s effort on a putback to beat the third-quarter buzzer.

Emari Baddour to Daniel Williams, Euclid: The Panthers pushed STVM early during their Play By Play matchup, as Baddour and Williams led the way.

Samson Albert, Revere: The guard’s agility showed when he attacked the hoop against Garfield Heights.

Kwuasy Toles, Canton McKinley: Toles beat the halftime buzzer with a half-court shot against Lutheran East. The Bulldogs needed it. They won by just two points.

Maurico Tate, Lutheran East: Tate is up for two separate plays here. First, he created for himself.

Tate to Keandre Graves, Lutheran East: Then, Tate helped a teammate beat the buzzer against Canton McKinley.

Andre Harris, Brush: A sophomore guard, Harris’ coast-to-coast finish provided a highlight for the Arcs in their tough loss to Holy Name.

Marreon Jackson, Garfield Heights: In similar fashion, Jackson drove to the basket like Harris with a circus shot to help propel the Bulldogs past Revere.

Miryne Thomas, Central Catholic: The block party Sunday in Berea concluded with Thomas’ effort in a loss to Shaker Heights. He denied two Shaker Heights players, but his second defensive effort came with hustle and a payoff at the other end for the Ironmen.

Top plays may be submitted via email to mgoul@cleveland.com. Boys and girls basketball highlights are accepted. Here is a look back at the top plays from December.

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 Buckeyes ended up where they started in the final AP poll of the 2016 season.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio State finished where it started. The Buckeyes came in at No. 6 in the final Associated Press college football poll of the 2016 season.

We were a few seconds away from having just the third wire-to-wire No. 1 team in the long history of the AP poll.

Deshaun Watson and Clemson had other plans.

The Tigers beat Alabama, 35-31, in the College Football Playoff National Championship that began on Monday night and bled into early Tuesday morning. Watson's touchdown pass to Hunter Renfrow with one second left sealed the win.

So Clemson is the No. 1 team in the final AP poll of the 2016 college football season. Alabama, which had been No. 1 every week right up until Renfrow fell in the end zone for that game-winning touchdown, finished No. 2.

The Crimson Tide would have been the third wire-to-wire No. 1 team in the AP poll's history, joining Florida State in 1999 and USC in 2004.

Clemson, Alabama, USC, Washington and Oklahoma made up the top five. Penn State (7), Wisconsin (9) and Michigan (10) gave the Big Ten four teams in the top 10, the most of any conference.

The Buckeyes opened the season as the No. 6 team in the country in this year's AP poll, jumped up to No. 2 after a convincing win at Oklahoma and back down to No. 6 after a loss at Penn State. A couple of blowout wins over Nebraska and Maryland pushed them back up to No. 2 in both the College Football Playoff rankings and the AP poll.

They remained in that No. 2 slot heading into the playoff, while sliding one spot to No. 3 in the final playoff rankings.

Here's where Ohio State has started and finished in the last five AP college football polls:

* 2016: Started No. 6, finished No. 6

* 2015: Started No. 1, finished No. 4

* 2014: Started No. 5, finished No. 1

* 2013: Started No. 2, finished No. 12

* 2012: Started No. 18, finished No. 3

Bill Landis final AP poll ballot

Here is the final AP college football poll of the 2016 season:

1. Clemson (14-1) (60 first-place votes)

2. Alabama (14-1)

3. USC (10-3)

4. Washington (12-2)

5. Oklahoma (11-2)

6. Ohio State (11-2)

7. Penn State (11-3)

8. Florida State (10-3)

9. Wisconsin (11-3)

10. Michigan (10-3)

11. Oklahoma State (10-3)

12. Stanford (10-3)

13. LSU (8-4)

14. Florida (9-4)

15. Western Michigan (13-1)

16. Virginia Tech (10-4)

17. Colorado (10-4)

18. West Virginia (10-3)

19. South Florida (11-2)

20. Miami (Fl.) (9-4)

21. Louisville (9-4)

22. Tennessee (9-4)

23. Utah (9-4)

24. Auburn (8-5)

25. San Diego State (11-3)

Will this be Kyle Korver's first game with Cleveland? Watch video

SALT LAKE CITY -- The Cavs (28-8) continue their six-game road trip against the Utah Jazz (23-16).

Last meeting: This is the first game between teams -- they split their two contests last season.

Cavs fast fact: They're 9-0 when scoring at least 120 points and 8-0 when making at least 15 3s.

Cavs injuries: J.R. Smith (right thumb surgery) and Chris Andersen (torn right ACL) are out.

Jazz fast fact: Center Rudy Gobert leads the NBA in blocks (2.6) and is second in shooting percentage (.655).

Jazz injuries: None.

Probable starters

Cavs

F LeBron James (26.2 ppg; 7.9 rpg; 8.3 apg)

F Kevin Love (21.8 ppg; 10.9 rpg; 1.7 apg)

C Tristan Thompson (7.1 ppg; 9.9 rpg; 0.8 apg)

G DeAndre Liggins (3.1 ppg; 1.9 rpg; 1.1 apg)

G Kyrie Irving (24.3 ppg; 3.5 rpg; 5.9 apg)

Jazz

F Gordon Hayward (22.0 ppg; 5.8 rpg; 3.5 apg)

F Derrick Favors (8.7 ppg; 5.9 rpg; 0.9 apg)

C Rudy Gobert (12.3 ppg; 12.3 rpg; 0.9 apg)

G Rodney Hood (13.5 ppg; 3.6 rpg; 1.9 apg)

G George Hill (18.5 ppg; 3.8 rpg; 1.2 apg)

Griffin helps a Vietnam veteran in Texas.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Browns quarterback Robert Griffin III will help renovate the home of a Vietnam veteran Tuesday on HGTV's Fixer Upper.

According to the show synopsis, Griffin's Family of 3 Foundation learned that the home of veteran Bill Graham and his wife needed help in Waco, Texas, so he reached out to Fixer Upper hosts Chip and Joanna Gaines, whose home renovation show is in its fourth season on HGTV.

Griffin's episode of the show will premier Tuesday at 9 p.m. (8 p.m. CST), and again on Wednesday as 12 p.m. (11 a.m. CST).

You can watch a preview of the episode on Griffin's Family of 3 Foundation website. 

NFL.com took an early measure of each team's 2016 draft class and didn't find much to recommend the Browns crop except its size.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - NFL.com ranks the Browns 2016 draft class 27^th in the league.

Top pick Corey Coleman didn't make much of an impact after missing six games with a broken hand. In 10 games he caught just 33 passes for 413 yards and three touchdowns.

Third-round pick Cody Kessler's eight starts came after injuries to Robert Griffin III and Josh McCown. Kessler, who was benched in the Baltimore game, suffered two concussions.

Second-round pick Emmanuel Ogbah was the most consistent producer of a 14-pick draft class.

Is it early to judge a draft class? Sure.

But think of it as a milepost. The ranking doesn't go on anybody's permanent record. It'll be subject to review next season and the season after. It's fluid.

 For now, the NFL.com ranking probably reflects what you already knew. The class has been underwhelming.

* Ronda Rousey elected not to talk to the media after Amanda Nunes wrecked her in 48 seconds of their match at UFC 207 in Las Vegas.

Monday she posted an Instagram message quoting Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling: "And so rock bottom became the solid foundation on which I rebuilt my life."

The difference when Rowling did it? She was a single mother living on welfare and didn't make three million for a night of work on her way down.

* UFC heavyweight Mark Hunt told a New Zealand media outlet he took a fight with Alistair Overeem because he really had no other choice.

"Think it from my position, I had no other option," Hunt told "Stuff." "I can't work anywhere else so what am I supposed to do -- let my family starve?"

Hunt has a good point to make about getting the short end of a purse in a loss to Brock Lesnar, who tested positive. The result was later overturned.

"Let my family starve," though, sounds a little dramatic. But you tell him.

* I don't know if Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson is on the radar for the Browns, let alone whether they see him as a top-of-the-first-round pick.

But at least I know a quarterback who can surivive a helicopter ride on the football field.

* Jacksonville has hired Tom Coughlin as VP and Doug Marrone as head coach.

Marrone was high on the Browns list when Joe Banner conducted his first coaching search but Marrone moved quickly and accepted the Buffalo job instead.

That Browns search eventually ended with the Browns brass meeting Rob Chudzinski over dinner and quietly nodding in agreement that he was their choice.

From column B.

One season later, the Browns were hungry for another coach.

* Giants GM Jerry Reese met with volatile wide receiver Odell Beckham and reiterated that the team needs him to make better choices.

"We all had to grow up at different times in our lives," Reese told reporters.

Beckham allegedly punched a hole in the wall at Lambeau Field. ESPN reported he banged his head against a door outside the locker room, too.

That left the Giants pining for the calmer, cooler, more collected days when he was taking out his frustration on a sideline kicking net, then making up to it by proposing marriage.

* Beckham finished the 38-13 loss to Green Bay with four catches for 28 yards and three drops.

He contested the theory that Giants' players traveling to Miami for a party on the Monday off day distracted from the challenge facing the Giants.

"There was nothing that could connect seven days ago to today and how we came out and played and executed," Beckham told reporters after the loss.

"There's just nothing in the world. That's not realistic. I think it did a great job of creating distractions for us, and it's just unfortunate for us. That's just the way this world is."

There was nothing to connect a party boat in Miami to a loss in Green Bay, other than the Giants getting boat raced.

* Golden State head coach Steve Kerr poked fun at the scoreboard at the Q when asked about the Sacramento Kings new arena.

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

We pause here to allow you for The Diff jokes about the Warriors losing a 3-1 lead in last year's NBA Finals.

Or the difference between the 93 points the Cavs scored in Game 7 and the 89 points scored by the losers.

Go ahead.

It's funny.

It just doesn't make Kerr wrong.

* The Nets waived former Cavs' No. 1 overall pick Anthony Bennett, signing Quincy Acy to replace him.

Yes. That Quincy Acy.

* Acy last played with the Texas Legends of the D League. Bennett had somehow fallen out of the rotation of a 8-28 Brooklyn team.

Even Trent Richardson thinks that's a free-fall from grace.

* Steelers' assistant coach Joey Porter is on leave from the team after an incident at a Pittsburgh bar earned him five charges: aggravated assault, simple assault, resisting arrest, public drunkenness and disorderly conduct.

The arresting officer, an off-duty policeman, wrote in his report that Porter lifted the bar's bouncer off the ground. He then grabbed the cop.

"I instructed Porter to take his hands off me," the officer wrote. "Porter informed me that he was not touching me, as he was holding my wrists."

C'mon officer. Whatcha gonna believe?

That rope burn on your wrists? Or a player who conducted himself with Porter's  blend of grace and aplomb during a long NFL career?

* Ben Roethlisberger sees no way he won't play against Kansas City this weekend.

The Steelers quarterback wore a walking boot following the rout of the Dolphins. He was injured on his final throw in a game Pittsburgh controlled.

If Joey Porter was going to grab anybody, he should've grabbed Mike Tomlin and told him to get Roethlisberger out of there.

In 1975, 10 years after he fought in the Army in the Dominican Civil War, he participated in the Pan American Games in Mexico City. There, an American competitor named Bruce Jenner captured gold in the decathlon. Jenner and Elpidio became friends. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- During his favorite moment as a member of the Toronto Blue Jays, Edwin Encarnacion hogged the spotlight.

He whipped his bat at the 91-mph fastball and immediately raised both of his arms in the air as the baseball sailed into the Rogers Centre seats. He lifted his right arm, like he always does, while rounding the bases, as a horn blared inside the raucous venue. He reached home plate, where he was the epicenter of a blue mob, his teammates playfully pounding on him for vaulting them into the American League Division Series.

Encarnacion doesn't always want the attention; he's actually pretty timid. His father, Elpidio, laughs when considering how quiet and nervous Encarnacion was during his introductory press conference at Progressive Field.

"My son is very shy," Elpidio told cleveland.com. "From the time he was a child, he never talked a lot."

Instead, Encarnacion speaks volumes with his bat, a prized piece of lumber that has produced 193 home runs and 145 doubles over the last five seasons.

That sort of muscle helped Encarnacion land a three-year contract with the Indians worth at least $60 million. Elpidio smiles when considering how far his son has come, from an inexperienced third baseman with the Reds to the primary power source on a World Series contender. It has required plenty of hard work. Elpidio passed along some good genes, too.

Encarnacion's father was a track star and then a track coach. He competed in the decathlon and eventually earned enough acclaim to merit a Hall of Fame spot.

"In track and field, I won 45 medals," Elpidio said. "I'm in the Dominican Athletic Hall of Fame. 

Everything fell into place for Tribe to sign Encarnacion

In 1975, 10 years after he fought in the Army in the Dominican Civil War, he participated in the Pan American Games in Mexico City. There, an American competitor named Bruce Jenner captured gold in the decathlon. Jenner and Elpidio became friends.

"He won," Elpidio said, smiling while shaking his head. "He got the world championship. We are good friends."

Encarnacion isn't exactly fleet of foot. He has stolen seven bases the last three years and 56 total during his 12-year career. Running isn't really his thing. Hitting is. 

His brother, Julio, is no stranger to the athletic arena. Julio played in the Chicago White Sox organization in 2000 and '01.

"Everybody said, 'OK, Julio is going to be [the guy],'" Elpidio said. "But Edwin has lived it. He has worked very hard to become a power hitter. With track and field, I helped him to run.

"In Cincinnati, he hit 26 homers [in 2008]. Then, I said, 'OK, if he's doing this at this moment, in the future, he's going to be a great player in the major leagues.' And today, thank God, he's worked very hard and my idea was [correct]."

Encarnacion brought his parents, his brothers and his son with him to the ballpark last week as he donned a white and red Indians uniform for the first time.

"They are my No. 1 fans and I know they want the best for me," he told cleveland.com. "I've had a lot of ups and downs and they've been with me, through the bad teams, the good moments and the bad moments. That's why I brought everybody here to Cleveland, to be part of this experience."

That meant Elpidio had to brave the frigid temperatures.

"My dad doesn't like the cold weather, but he's going to learn to like it," Encarnacion said.

Elpidio doesn't mind.

"This is my new home," he said. "The team is very good. I believe they have everything to win the World Series."

His son certainly hopes so. If that's the case, Encarnacion won't mind the attention.

Tribe pounced on golden opportunity to sign Encarnacion

Cleveland Heights' Yahel Hill, Holy Name's Dwayne Cohill and Bay's R.J. Sunahara are among this week's player of the week nominees.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Here are the latest boys basketball top performances nominated for “Game Balls” from Jan. 2-8.

Players are nominated by coaches and selected by the cleveland.com staff. Voting is open until noon Friday.

J’Van Beasley, Shaker Heights: A senior guard, Beasley set the tone in the final game Sunday during the Scholastic Play By Play Classic at Baldwin Wallace. Beasley scored 20 points to lead the undermanned Raiders’ 75-68 upset of Central Catholic.

Ryan Bertrand, Avon: A 6-foot-2 senior forward, Bertrand registered a season-high 21 points Friday to beat Lakewood, 72-42. The Eagles moved to 7-0 with the win.

Antonio Blanton, Elyria: The Pioneers upset Mentor during Friday’s Greater Cleveland Conference game with Blanton scoring 28 points and pulling down critical rebounds in the closing moments of a 74-69 win.

Dwayne Cohill, Holy Name: Cohill, a junior, scored 30 points Sunday and led the Green Wave’s 79-57 win against Brush. Both teams were ranked at the time, and Cohill shined at Baldwin Wallace — a court he didn’t play on last year when Holy Name participated in the Play By Play Classic. His coach, Jeff Huber, said it was a sign of Cohill’s growth.

Chad Elliott, Berea-Midpark: The Titans shrunk a three-way tie atop the Southwestern Conference to two after their 42-37 win against Olmsted Falls. Elliott scored more than half of Berea-Midpark’s points and finished with 24. They remain tied atop the SWC with Avon.

Yahel Hill, Cleveland Heights: The junior point guard scored 30 points to lead No. 2 Cleveland Heights’ 69-64 win Sunday against Warren Harding.

Jackson Sartain, Medina: A 6-0 senior guard with a smooth jumper, Sartain can also rebound. He pulled down 11 rebounds while scoring 37 points in a 92-79 win against Shaker Heights.

R.J. Sunahara, Bay: The Rockets’ 6-foot-6 junior filled the stat sheet Friday in a 98-75 win against Valley Forge. Sunahara scored 35 points, hauled in 10 rebounds, blocked five shots, added four steals and two assists.

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.

McCall is in line to get more touches at H-back now that Curtis Samuel is going pro. Watch video

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Demario McCall glanced across the room at his four Ohio State teammates seated at elevated podiums, two on each side of Buckeyes' coach Urban Meyer during Fiesta Bowl media day in Arizona.

Behind each player was a larger than life poster of him in action: J.T. Barrett, Pat Elflein, Raekwon McMillan and Malik Hooker.

Ohio State was full of famous college football stars last year. In 2016, the star power was dimmed a bit, but these were the faces of one of the four College Football Playoff teams.

McCall, envisioning how his role might be changing after a solid freshman season, looked to those teammates seated in front of TV cameras. Does he want one of those giant posters some day?

"Sure do," McCall said.

Maybe that day is coming sooner than he thinks. 

Ohio State is losing a major cog of its offense. Slot receiver, H-back, tailback Curtis Samuel -- however you want to label him -- is going pro. That's the biggest offensive playmaker gone heading into a season that must included marked offensive improvement.

On the short list of players who could provide the kind of spark Samuel gave the Buckeyes this year is McCall, a 5-foot-9 rising sophomore who caught the eye of Ohio State fans everywhere with his limited touches in 2016.

McCall rushed 49 times for 270 yards (5.5 avg,) and three touchdowns, while catching four passes for 84 yards (21.0 avg.) and another score. He gave you glimpses of perhaps someone who could become a star in his own right.

"I think about that a lot," McCall said. "I think about that a whole lot. I do want to be that guy, and I will be that guy one day."

McCall's freshman season went pretty well. Making the leap from that to an every-down, every-situation contributor on Ohio State's offense will be a different challenge.

He's still putting on the weight needed to have the durability necessary for that kind of role. McCall came to Columbus at 175 pounds, said he weighs around 190 pounds now and hopes to play in 2017 around 195 or 200 pounds.

He considers himself a true running back, which makes you wonder how and if he'll have a role in the passing game anything similar to what Samuel had. Samuel was kind of a pure running back, too, and became a prolific receiver -- but that took some time.

There's also a crowded picture at running back with Mike Weber returning as the starter, Antonio Williams in the mix and freshman J.K. Dobbins on campus already as an early-enrolee.

"I don't want to be an H-back," McCall said. "But I want to get on the field on the more."

Ohio State should be finding ways to get him on the field more: H-back, running back, punt return, somewhere.

McCall brings the kind of swagger to a team that's never a bad thing when it's grounded in reality. He exudes a confidence that could become contagious across Ohio State's offense.

He's got the engaging personality and enthralling skill set that can make him Ohio State's next star, and McCall knows it.

"It's because of how I am," McCall said. "Growing up I always wanted to be the top, but in order to get there you have to grind for it. You have to start your way down here and work your way up, right?"

We've compiled a list of the 10 best Cleveland athletes to follow on Instagram in 2017.

CLEVELAND, Ohio-- 

Vote on the offensive lineman in the latest in our series?

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Before the Browns can build the foundation of a winning franchise, they must identify which players will be part of that foundation. Who are the building blocks?

Cleveland.com is trying to figure that out, and we'd like your help. This series will take a look at veterans and rookies alike to see if they will be Cleveland Browns building blocks. Your feedback will help us determine who is in and who is out.

TODAY: Cam Erving

Pro

Now just listen before you say no, OK? Do you want to live in a world where first-round draft picks continue to give the Browns nothing? In the name of Trent Richardson, Brandon Weeden, Barkevious Mingo, Justin Gilbert and Johnny Manziel, you'd better hope this guy is a building block.

Erving was the No. 19 overall pick in 2015, the fourth offensive lineman off the board. So if you think the Browns offensive line needs to be better, you don't just throw away a guy like this, even if his first two years have been a struggle.

Erving did more than 30 bench press reps at the NFL Scouting Combine and also had a vertical leap of over 30 inches, placing him in some mythical 30-30 club that may exist only in Mel Kiper's mind. 

"Anytime you're in that 30-30 situation in terms of bench press reps and vertical, and you're as big as he is and as talented as he is and as versatile," Kiper said, that's a good thing.

Erving was also lauded for his versatility after playing both tackle and center in college. He wasn't good at center this year. But the Browns tried him at right tackle in the season finale against Pittsburgh. It wasn't all bad, though he left that game with a knee injury. The Browns have to keep trying. Erving should be in the mix for the right tackle job next year, and the Browns can't give up on him yet.

As Erving said after the season, "When life gives you lemons, you suck them."

Here's Erving being interviewed for the Joe Thomas Hour. It's the nicest video about Erving that exists.

.@joethomas73 made his #ProBowl debut in 2007.

What do these #Browns remember about 2007?

The Joe Thomas Hour:https://t.co/0ONHeHqdF8

-- Cleveland Browns (@Browns) January 6, 2017

Con

He's played poorly for two years. And he's almost certainly not a center, the position where he started 12 games this season. At 6-foot-5, he might be too tall.

"I'm a big guy in there in the middle and just being able to move around and not be tripping over people because we had a lot of those situations earlier in the season," Erving said. "It's football, things like that are going to happen. But when you have a tall center, those are the things that we focused on most of the season, just trying to make sure we minimized tripping over each other and just making sure we stayed compact."

He also might not be a right tackle, as you can see by this play from the finale, though he did recover the fumble.

via GIPHY

So here we go. Vote on whether Erving is a building block. It requires a 67 percent yes vote to make the cut, and you people have been tough so far.

Accepted building blocks:

Jamie Collins

Terrelle Pryor

Rejected building blocks:

Joe Haden

Cody Kessler

Isaiah Crowell

Clemson's Deshaun Watson and North Carolina's Mitch Trubisky give the Browns two quarterback choices in the draft with high potential and possible problems.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Analytics and I have never understood each other.

Higher math left me at probability class as a college student. The problems went like this: If Joey had four brown socks and three orange ones, where did the orange one go?

I'd say check lost and found at FirstEnergy Stadium. And why was Joey going barefoot, anyway? Did he mix or match the socks?

I had no shot at the answer.

A subjective "wow"

I know the subjective stuff, the way I felt when I saw Jim Brown run through the whole Dallas Cowboys team to score long ago at the Cotton Bowl, even if I was a Dallas fan.

Or the awe while watching a LeBron James triple-double while wondering how anybody could be a master of all trades and a jack at none.

Deshaun Watson

And while seeing Deshaun Watson of Clemson play against Ohio State, against Alabama, against tackling angles and rough-housing and the best-laid schemes of great college coaches.

The nation witnessed a virtuoso Watson performance against coach Nick Saban and Alabama in the national championship game Monday. The Tigers won in the last second on a touchdown pass by Watson.

Beating Bama

This was big, bad Bama, doing its worst with a great defense that tried physical intimidation of both Watson and his top receiver, Mike Williams. The Crimson Tide took shots Gregg Williams, the Cleveland Browns' new defensive coordinator, would've thought were just swell during the Bountygate ugliness in New Orleans.

The bullying worked at first, but not for the whole game.

What impressed was Watson's poise on the two-minute drills that won the game, in addition to his accuracy, arm strength and pocket awareness.

The Clemson junior has passed for more than 4,000 yards in each of his last two seasons. He scaled back his rushing attempts after a Braxton Miller-like 1,105-yard season on the ground in his sophomore season to 629 in this, his last season at the school.

Bewildering the Buckeyes

Still, the play that I remember most was a 33-yard gain on a quarterback counter against Ohio State (occurring at the 55-second mark in the video).

Watson waited patiently for his blockers to clear the way, then cut all the way back across the field, teasing the Buckeyes like an older kid who had stolen their cap in the schoolyard, before stepping out of bounds, unharmed.

Maybe he gets busted up doing that in the NFL, as was a quarterback we've seen around here who had world-class speed as a college hurdler, Robert Griffin III.

Or maybe he keeps curtailing the runs.

Mitch Trubisky

As far as the Browns' NFL draft choices go, with the team holding the No. 1 pick overall, the local fans' favorite is probably for the local guy, Mentor's Mitch Trubisky, who played at North Carolina.

He is a bigger, stronger guy with Roethlisberger-like ability to shrug off arm tackles and better running ability. Trubisky has had one year as a college starter but has declared his intention to enter the draft.

The two-point conversion attempt to force overtime collapsed in a sack on which the quarterback had no chance.

The Browns' top executives scouted Trubisky in person in the game and they saw the TD strike and his looseness with the ball at other times, including on a pick-six.

Use caution when choosing simply on the basis of geography. Just because Johnny Manziel was an awful bust doesn't mean North Olmsted's Brian Hoyer was the future either.

The protection problem

Stunning seasons by rookie quarterbacks such as Dak Prescott now and Big Ben years ago don't come along often. They are usually supported by more college experience beforehand than Trubisky and the presence of a rigorous running attack.

As for how analytics rates the pair, I'm not sure the discipline applies fully in football. Was RG3 the same quarterback after getting hit hard as he was before? Is there an algorithm that takes into account skill attrition through injury?

Concussion protocol was as much a part of any given Sunday here as losses and empty seats. That has to change or the Browns will just keep changing quarterbacks, whomever they pick.

The Indians will air eight spring training games on TV and 15 on radio this year.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Indians will air eight spring training games on TV and 15 on radio this year.

Those sights and sounds are coming soon, too. Pitchers and catchers are scheduled to report to the team's complex in Goodyear, Arizona, one month from Thursday. The full squad reports on Feb. 16.

The Indians will broadcast their first two spring affairs on SportsTime Ohio. The opener is set for Feb. 25 against the Reds at Goodyear Ballpark. The next day, the Indians will trek to Mesa, Arizona, for a World Series rematch -- though with far less hype -- against the Cubs.

STO will also air the games on March 14 (Giants, home), March 18 (Rangers, in San Antonio), March 27 (Cubs, home) and March 29 (Reds, away). In addition, separate crews will broadcast both split-squad games on March 17, as the Indians host the Reds and play the Rangers in San Antonio. The network will broadcast the Rangers game live (8:05 p.m. ET start time) and the Reds game afterward on tape delay.

The team will air 10 games on WTAM 1100, two on WMMS 100.7 FM and three on 99X 99.1 FM. Those games are as follows:

Feb. 25 vs. Reds (WTAM)

Feb. 26 at Cubs (WTAM)

March 1 vs. Mariners (WTAM)

March 4 at Athletics (WTAM)

March 5 vs. Padres (WMMS)

March 9 vs. Angels (99X)

March 11 vs. Royals (WTAM)

March 12 at Padres (WTAM)

March 15 at Rangers (WTAM)

March 17 vs. Reds (WTAM)

March 18 at Royals (WTAM)

March 25 vs. White Sox (99X)

March 26 at Diamondbacks (WTAM)

March 27 vs. Cubs (WMMS)

March 29 at Reds (99X)

In all, the Indians will play 36 exhibition games, including a pair at Chase Field, Arizona's big-league ballpark, at the end of March. The team opens the regular season in Texas against the Rangers on April 3.  

Full Indians spring training schedule

Farewell: The Indians have released Edwin E. (No, not that Edwin E.) The club parted ways with left-handed pitcher Edwin Escobar, who will instead pursue an opportunity in Japan. The Indians designated Escobar for assignment last week to make room on the roster for Edwin Encarnacion.

Kyle Korver will play against the Utah Jazz tonight, so long as he is allowed by the NBA. Watch video

SALT LAKE CITY -- Kyle Korver will play tonight if he's allowed by the NBA, Cavs coach Tyronn Lue said Tuesday morning.

The Cavs play the Jazz at 9 p.m., and are waiting for word from Atlanta that Mike Dunleavy has passed his physical. When that comes, Korver can suit up and play. He was not allowed to participate in Cleveland's shootaround.

"If he's available to play we're going to play him minutes, so we'll see how it goes," Lue said.

Korver is the eighth-best 3-point shooter in NBA history at 42.9 percent. LeBron James said "the first thing I told him when he walked into the locker room the other day was, 'If you want to fit in, shoot the ball every time you get it.'

"Shoot the ball as soon as it touches your hands," James said. "Shoot it. We don't care."

Korver hopes to play tonight

James said he's watched about 25 minutes of clips on Korver, who is in his 14th season, to see "where he likes the ball, how he likes the ball, if he likes it low, if he likes it high, if he likes the seams, no seams.

"From my perspective, as far as the quarterback, I see where my receiver likes the ball," James said.

Korver played three seasons with Utah before moving on to Chicago and then the Hawks.

Baugh caught 24 passes for 269 yards last season, his first as Ohio State's No. 1 tight end.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Marcus Baugh's "announcement" that he's returning to Ohio State for a fifth season was so low key that it makes you question whether or not he should have been on NFL watch in the first place.

Baugh and cornerback Marshon Lattimore were seemingly the two remaining Buckeyes who had a decision to either pursue the NFL or come back to Ohio State. We're still waiting on Lattimore. Baugh made his decision officially official on Tuesday.

Responding to a comment on Twitter about people waiting on his decision, Baugh wrote simply:

"Lol I'm staying."

OK then.

Baugh caught 24 passes for 269 yards and two touchdowns in 2016, his first as Ohio State's No. 1 tight end. He and running back/receiver Curtis Samuel seemed to emerge as quarterback J.T. Barrett's favorite passing targets over the course of the season.

He joins Barrett and offensive lineman Billy Price as players who are assumed fifth-year starters on Ohio State's offense.

lol I'm staying https://t.co/cHsPa9gFvG

-- Beeezy (@MarcusBaugh85) January 10, 2017

.@MarcusBaugh85 pic.twitter.com/sX4gIeP378

-- Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) January 10, 2017