Debate: Should Browns take Barkley with No. 1 pick?

Saquon Barkley came to Indianapolis for the 2018 NFL Scouting Combine surrounded by near-unprecedented amounts of hype, yet somehow, the star running back managed to surpass his sky-high expectations.

The Penn State product sparkled in all the drills - especially the 40-yard dash and the vertical - likely causing scouts, coaches, and general managers around the league to salivate uncontrollably.

However, 31 teams might not even get the chance to select Barkley, as it was reported by NFL Network's Ian Rapoport that the Cleveland Browns - who also hold the No. 4 selection - will consider taking the runner with the No. 1 overall pick in the draft.

Here, we debate both sides of the Browns' conundrum:

The case for taking Barkley

Running back is one of the lesser-valued positions in the NFL, mostly due to their short shelf lives and the league's increasing reliance on the passing game.

However, as the likes of Le'Veon Bell and Todd Gurley have highlighted in recent years, versatile backs who possess elite athleticism and receiving skills can still have an enormous impact on their team's success (nine of the top 10 rushing teams made the playoffs in 2017).

Barkley is one of these extremely rare players. He put together an all-time great combine performance, confirming his worthiness of being mentioned among the NFL's best-ever running back prospects following an amazing college career. He can run with power and speed, is an improving receiver, and possesses an innate feel for his blocks, both at the line of scrimmage and at the second level,

Sure, there's a reason no running back has been taken first overall since 1995, but the Browns are a unique case. By virtue of owning both the No. 1 and No. 4 overall picks, Cleveland should still have a quarterback it likes on the board when its second selection arrives.

However, Barkley might not be there at No. 4 if the Browns pass, and if the team loves Baker Mayfield as much as Josh Rosen and Sam Darnold, why not go Barkley and then Mayfield? Even the most pessimistic Browns fans shouldn't be able to contain their excitement if they end up with that rookie backfield.

- Jack Browne

The case against taking Barkley

The Browns haven't finished above .500 since 2007, and the main culprit has been quarterback play. This franchise desperately needs an offensive leader.

It's difficult to deny a running game's impact on NFL offenses, but it's still a passing league. Of the 12 playoff teams in 2017, six threw the ball on more than 55 percent of their offensive snaps. The quarterbacks of eight playoff teams ranked inside the top 12 in passing yards, while six had a top-ten QB rating. The likes of Tom Brady, Ben Roethlisberger, Drew Brees, Matt Ryan, and Cam Newton lead perennial playoff contenders, not to mention ascending signal-callers Carson Wentz and Jared Goff. The value of quarterbacks is at an all-time high.

Moreover, successful teams often don't field an every-down running back. Just look at the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles, who used a three-man rotation of Jay Ajayi, LeGarrette Blount, and Corey Clement. The Patriots, Saints, Falcons, Panthers, Titans, and Vikings all feature dynamic running back rotations as well, keeping their players fresh.

If Barkley is selected first, the Browns would most likely target a quarterback at No. 4. Sounds simple, right? Not so fast. The Giants could very well take a QB with the second overall pick, and a team could trade up with the Colts to select one at No. 3. That could result in Cleveland's top quarterback (or two) not being available - a disastrous outcome.

Barkley is an elite prospect, but there are plenty of running back options for the Browns on Day 2 of the draft, including Derrius Guice, Ronald Jones, and Sony Michel. Plus, Duke Johnson is already an effective passing-down back.

- Mike Alessandrini