Dabo Swinney gave a ringing endorsement to his quarterback leading up to the NFL Draft.

"I'm just telling you, if they pass on Deshaun Watson, they're passing on Michael Jordan," Swinney said. "I'm just telling you. I don't know what the heck I'm talking about; I'm just an old funky college coach. But Deshaun Watson is the best, by a long shot."

Watson elected not to participate in the Senior Bowl despite reports that the Cleveland Browns asked him to. He is a junior but has graduated, making him eligible for the game.

"That's how you change things, you know, change a culture," Swinney said when asked specifically about Cleveland considering Watson at either No. 1 or No. 12 overall. "For me, it's through discipline and recruiting and staffing and all that stuff. For them, it's decision-making. It's who you pick.

"It would be the easiest player [Browns coach Hue Jackson has] ever coached. I'm sure he's coached some good ones, and so have I. But [Watson is] just simple. Very low maintenance, humble, the same guy every day and always ready. Comes to every meeting prepared.

"He's the greatest preparer that I've been around. He loves it. You know, he graduated in three years. This is a driven, focused kid that's been way too busy being great to be distracted by anything. So he's just ready for the moment. He's so prepared. And it's been that way forever."