National Football League

Report: Myles Garrett not attending 2017 NFL Draft

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 5:56 p.m. ET

Fansided, John Buhler/Fansided

Blue-chip defensive end prospect Myles Garrett will not be in attendance during the 2017 NFL Draft in Philadelphia, opting to stay in his native Houston.

The 2017 NFL Draft will be in Philadelphia this spring. While this is shaping up to be one of the deepest pass rusher drafts arguably ever, perhaps the best player of that position group will not be in attendance.

According to Brent Zwerneman of the Houston Chronicle, former Texas A&M Aggies defensive end Myles Garret will elect to stay in his native Houston with his family instead of attending the 2017 NFL Draft in Philadelphia on Thursday, Apr. 27.

Texas A&M DE Myles Garrett, projected as No. 1 overall selection, tells @HoustonChron he plans to watch the draft at home in Arlington.

— Brent Zwerneman (@BrentZwerneman) February 10, 2017

This news is significant as many believe Garrett to be the No. 1 player available heading into the draft. The Cleveland Browns are in need of a pass rusher and could use their No. 1 overall pick to take Garrett out of Texas A&M.

Skipping out on the draft isn’t common, but it does happen on occasion with elite NFL players. In 2015, the two top quarterbacks Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota decided to stay in their hometowns instead of making the trek to Chicago. Winston stayed in his hometown of Bessemer, Alabama and went No. 1 overall to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Mariota laid low in his native Honolulu and went No. 2 to the Tennessee Titans.

Strangely, this would not be the first time that the Browns would use a top-five pick on a player that decided to not attend the draft. Back in 2007, Cleveland used their No. 3 overall pick to select left tackle Joe Thomas out of Wisconsin. He went fishing with his dad as opposed of dealing with the bright lights of New York City in that draft.

Garret will still probably be the first player off the board. Maybe the first blue-chip prospect that gets to shake Roger Goodell’s hand this spring will be whomever the San Francisco 49ers take at No. 2?