Mitchell Trubisky Getting Drafted by Browns, NFL Future Discussed by Jon Gruden

Count former NFL coach and ESPN analyst Jon Gruden among those who think quarterback Mitchell Trubisky can turn around the Cleveland Browns.

According to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com, Gruden spent time with the North Carolina product Monday as part of his QB Camp segment that airs on ESPN. "The one thing the Cleveland Browns have not been able to solve is the quarterback and I think he could handle it," Gruden said in an ESPN interview, via Cabot.

Trubisky is from Mentor, Ohio, so there would be an added layer of pressure playing in front of the hometown fans.

Gruden stressed the Browns "have to give him better support than they have right now," if they plan on drafting Trubisky and ideally turning him into an Ohio hero.

Cleveland was 1-15 in 2016, which marked its ninth straight losing season. What's more, it lost wide receiver Terrelle Pryor when he signed with Washington, per Adam Schefter of ESPN, although the Browns signed wide receiver Kenny Britt to provide some of that help, per Adam Caplan of ESPN.

Cabot noted the Browns "really like Trubisky" and own the Nos. 1 and 12 picks in the draft. They already interviewed him at the NFL Scouting Combine and plan on attending his Pro Day and bringing him in for a pre-draft visit.

Still, Bleacher Report's Matt Miller projects Cleveland to take pass-rusher Myles Garrett at No. 1 and tight end O.J. Howard at No. 12.

Perhaps Trubisky's mere 13 college starts will be an issue for the Browns. Gruden saw that number as a red flag, although he largely praised the signal-caller.

"There's a lot to like," he said, via Cabot. "He's a quick study, he learns fast, it's really important to him, he loves football and he's mature. He is a finisher at North Carolina. He never quit, he was a backup, he waited three years for his opportunity, and trust me, he's going to be a real steal for somebody."

Trubisky may not have much experience, but he capitalized on his playing time in 2016 with 3,748 passing yards and 30 touchdown throws. He is also athletic enough to escape pressure and make plays with his legs, as evidenced by his five rushing touchdowns in 2016.

There will be plenty of pressure on Trubisky whenever he goes, but Cleveland would mean he was likely the No. 1 pick and would be playing in front of local fans. He seemed ready to handle it at the combine, via Cabot.

"There's going to be pressure pretty much everywhere you go," he said. "There's exterior pressure, but there's not more pressure than the one I put on myself. I expect more out of myself than anybody else. That's kind of how I go about my business."

That is the type of attitude that likely impressed Gruden.