Now that Fresno State's pro day is in the rear view mirror, the long wait for the NFL Draft is upon us. Teams will get their individual looks at prospects in the coming weeks, and today's big news centers on Derek Carr's dalliance with the Cleveland Browns. Before co-hosting a halftime promotion at the Bulldogs' College Basketball Invitational championship game on Monday night, the Browns held an individual workout with Carr at Bulldog Stadium. The Browns are thought to be in need of a(nother) franchise quarterback, and they have been one of the speculative front-runners for Carr's services in the last couple months.
According to Browns head coach Mike Pettine, Carr is simply the first on a "big list" of auditions to come, but it is nonetheless surprising. Pettine and new general manager Ray Farmer were among the brass that made the trip to Fresno and, at least according to Carr himself, everyone involved had a fruitful afternoon:
Derek Carr "The visit with the #Browns went really well. They sent a ton of people out here to see me (Farmer, Pettine) so It went well"
— SiriusXM NFL Radio (@SiriusXMNFL) April 1, 2014
"Coach Shanahan ran the workout; made me make every throw an NFL QB has to make. They test you in so many ways" Derek Carr on Browns visit
— SiriusXM NFL Radio (@SiriusXMNFL) April 1, 2014
Taken in tandem with the staff's absence at Johnny Manziel's pro day and the insight provided by the Plain Dealer's Mary Kay Cabot after a recent NFL Network mock draft, however, it is easy to assume there's at least a small fire within all of the smoke. There is still plenty of debate about whether Carr is worth spending a top-five pick upon, whether the Browns can get him with their second selection at 26, or if another QB-needy team will maneuver themselves in the first round (we're looking at you, Raiders), so be sure to stay tuned to Mountain West Connection for the latest developments about Carr and his MWC compatriots.