As the countdown to the NFL Draft hits single digits, Hue Jackson estimates he talks with general manager John Dorsey anywhere from three to five times a day.
The Browns coach certainly knows where to find him when they're not. It's a place few outside the circle entrusted with picking the best possible players for the Browns are able to penetrate.
"When I say John Dorsey goes dark, he goes dark," Jackson said Tuesday. "Whoever thinks they're finding John Dorsey, trust me, you're not finding John Dorsey."
Jackson has been heavily involved in the process that will lead up to the decisions Cleveland makes when it's on the clock with the first and fourth overall picks. And in the moments he steps away to attend to the numerous other responsibilities that come with being an NFL head coach, he's admired the thorough, leave-no-stone-unturned approach that's unfolding behind closed doors.
And with nine days left before the Browns make those selections, Jackson knows the work is far from over.
"John Dorsey and his group, they don't come up for air," Jackson said. "I mean, this is 24 hours, seven days a week, through the weekend -- I've worked more on the weekends here than I ever had to be a part of this. That's what John does. There's no detail that we're going to leave unturned. So there's a lot of time being spent to get this right."
Jackson's focus, as guided by the questions he fielded at Tuesday's press conference, centered on the quarterback position. The Browns recently hosted five of the draft's top prospects at the position -- Baker Mayfield (Oklahoma), Sam Darnold (USC), Josh Rosen (UCLA), Josh Allen (Wyoming) and Lamar Jackson (Louisville) -- and have met with the players at nearly every stop in the pre-draft process. The team is poised to select one of them with either the first or fourth overall pick, and there's yet to be any official narrowing of the field, Jackson said.
Asked if he knew who he'd take if it were up to him and the decision had to come today, Jackson said he's yet to settle on one.
"This has been good for me to learn even a different way of looking at it," Jackson said. "I go back, and myself and (quarterbacks coach Ken Zampese) and (offensive coordinator Todd Haley), we've had great dialogue and conversation and I think we're still all going through it, too. And there are times they want to pull me in to talk about it and I'll say, 'No. not yet,' because I want to make sure that I'm sure. I don't want to be, 'It's this one. Well, no it's that one. It's based on this.'
"I think you need to really know and feel very comfortable about that decision when we get there."
Jackson said he expects the group to come together soon to make its final decision. Until then, the work to make it right won't stop.
"I'm excited about the class," Jackson said. "I think it's a good class and we'll find out which direction we travel next week sometime."
