Blake Bortles thought Cleveland Browns would draft him
By Josh Sanchez
Blake Bortles is the new quarterback of the Jacksonville Jaguars, but that isn’t necessarily the team that he had pictured he would play for.
More from Cleveland Browns
- Browns release 2022 draft pick after allegations he threatened a woman
- Browns wave white flag against the Steelers months ahead of time
- NFL Power Rankings: Who is the best quarterback in each division?
- NFL Power Rankings: Which teams will have the best rushing attacks this season?
- NFL rumors: DeAndre Hopkins reunion with former quarterback off the table
Leading up to the 2014 NFL Draft, Bortles apparently thought the Cleveland Browns would draft him.
“I definitely thought there was more of a possibility I’d be [in Cleveland] than Jacksonville, but that’s not the way it turned out and I couldn’t be happier to be where I am,” Bortles said, via the News-Herald.
Bortles likely thought the Browns would take him No. 4 overall, and he was “as surprised as anybody else” when the Jaguars called his name with the No. 3 overall pick.
Perhaps the Browns had given Bortles a reason to believe he would be their first pick in the draft, but when the Jaguars selected Bortles they were forced to call an audible.
That audible led to the Browns trading back a few slots and selecting Oklahoma State cornerback Justin Gilbert, before drafting Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel with their second first-round pick at No. 22 overall.
The good news for Bortles is that he now gets to play close to home with a team that appears to be trending in the right direction.