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Warren Sapp on whether 'lazy' Myles Garrett should be first pick: 'No, no, no'

If Myles Garrett ends up as a bust, Warren Sapp can say he warned everyone.

Garrett, the Texas A&M defensive end, is the clear favorite to be drafted No. 1 by the Cleveland Browns on Thursday night. There’s still talk of the Browns surprising everyone and taking a quarterback first, but it will be no surprise if Garrett goes first overall.

While practically all draft analysts have settled on Garrett as the best player in this draft, Sapp disagrees. Perhaps Sapp’s explosive comments to ESPN’s Adam Schefter could be summarized as merely the ranting of a former player trying to stay relevant, but it’s worth noting that Sapp was a Hall of Fame defensive tackle. He should know good defensive line play when he sees it. And he told Schefter he doesn’t “see it from this kid.”

“Any defensive lineman who’s the No. 1 pick, you turn up and you say, ‘There it is!’ This kid, no, I don’t,” Sapp said. “I’m a pretty plain and frank guy, and I watch the tape and he disappears. I watch the tape and he absolutely disappears.”

It is true that Garrett’s sack production mostly came against weaker competition, and his SEC numbers don’t necessarily stand out. However, he also suffered a high ankle sprain early last season, and that likely affected him.

Garrett cemented his status as the top prospect in this draft with a fantastic scouting combine workout, and Sapp told ESPN that teams are too focused on the measurables. He was clear what he thought of Garrett as a player.

“I see a lazy kid that makes four plays a game,” Sapp said, according to Schefter. “This is the No. 1 guy? No, no, no. This ain’t even close.”

Garrett’s trainer Travelle Gaines shot back at Sapp on Sunday.

Sapp said Garrett wasn’t as good as Courtney Brown, a defensive end who went to the Browns with the first pick of the 2000 draft, and that wouldn’t be a crime. Brown was a fine talent, but multiple injuries kept Brown from ever coming close to the player everyone thought he’d be coming out of Penn State. Still, an unfavorable comparison of Garrett to Brown (19 sacks in 61 career games) has to worry Browns fans a bit.

It seems like a foregone conclusion that Garrett will go first to the Browns, though the Browns could always surprise us. And most everyone thinks Garrett will be a good NFL player. If Garrett doesn’t become a star, Sapp can tell everyone he saw it coming.

Warren Sapp isn’t convinced Myles Garrett is worth the first pick. (AP)
Warren Sapp isn’t convinced Myles Garrett is worth the first pick. (AP)

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Frank Schwab is the editor of Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at shutdown.corner@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!