CARSON, Ca. -- Hue Jackson preferred Carson Wentz over Jared Goff in the 2016 draft, league sources told cleveland.com.
When the Rams traded up to No. 1 in 2016 to draft Goff, everyone assumed that the Browns opted not to take Wentz at No. 2 because Jackson only had eyes for Goff.
Turns out that wasn't the case at all.
When Jackson and then assistant head coach/offense Pep Hamilton worked out Wentz privately before the draft, they were blown away -- and instantly sold on him as their quarterback of the future, the sources said.
They had sent Wentz a package of plays the day before, and when they put him on the board to diagram them, he had memorized everything -- something no one else they worked out privately was able to do, especially not so quickly.