PHILADELPHIA -- Just a couple of days ago, Deshaun Watson said the first NFL club to select a quarterback in the 2017 NFL Draft would have to "live with the consequences" if it takes North Carolina's Mitchell Trubisky over him. And with the start of the draft just hours away, he took that sentiment a bit further on Thursday.
Watson said it would be a "slap in the face," if Trubisky goes ahead of him, given Watson's college accomplishments, per ESPN's Josina Anderson.
Perhaps he should prepare for the pain, because Trubisky is expected to be the first quarterback off the board in six of seven mock drafts by NFL.com analysts.
From Watson's perspective, it's not hard to understand his frustration. After all, he was a Heisman Trophy finalist and had played in a College Football Playoff title game before Trubisky had made a college start. The two quarterbacks both played in the ACC, and Watson won two ACC Championship Games while Trubisky didn't even reach the title game in his only year as a starter.
Their resumes don't stack anywhere near evenly.
From a scouting perspective, however, it's more understandable. NFL scouts don't rely on stats or accolades in college as much as they rely on their eye for specific skills and physical traits. Watson certainly provides them with a deeper library of game film and a proven knack for winning big games, and that doesn't hurt. But it isn't an overriding factor, either.
Watson's college resume is impressive, but it won't be worth five yards in his first NFL game. Nor will his draft position as it relates to Trubisky.
*Follow Chase Goodbread on Twitter **@ChaseGoodbread*.
