There are a couple of top college coaches often mentioned for open head coaching positions in the NFL, but one name not typically discussed was listed this week.

Clemson coach Dabo Swinney was listed by Yahoo! Sports’ Charles Robinson as he considered possible candidates to replace Hue Jackson, who was fired on Monday by the Cleveland Browns. Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley was also thought of by Robinson as a possibility, along with New England Patriots’ offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels.

“Listening to some people around the NFL who know Swinney, I’m convinced he will eventually take a shot at the next level of football,” Robinson wrote. “His backers in the league – some of whom suggested Monday the Browns would be wise to take a big swing for him – have thought about his candidacy down to a granular level. From the potential coaching support staff that Swinney could have lined up quickly, to executives who would be willing to work with him and Dorsey, to how his offense could be tailored to maximize Baker’s growth in the NFL. That’s a lot of thought on a guy who doesn’t instantly jump to the top of most Browns coaching lists.”

Swinney’s big contract at Clemson is about $9 million in total compensation, and rising, and Robinson figures that an NFL deal for Swinney would need to be in the neighborhood of Jon Gruden’s 10-year, $100 million deal with the Oakland Raiders.

“Why? Well, he may be in line to replace Nick Saban at Alabama, should Saban choose to go be grumpy in some other wildly successful life pursuit,” Robinson wrote. “But as one league source said Monday, “Following Nick Saban’s record at Alabama is a lot harder than following (Saban’s) record in the NFL. Dabo is his own guy, too. I don’t think he’s all that interested in being a successor to anyone in college.” Added another, “He’s the guy Haslam can hire to come in and rebuild the whole culture – and they still need that.”

A Gruden-type contract is unlikely, in part, because it would shift the balance of power in the organization, he wrote.