DALLAS -- They are just words in a news conference, but words can matter.

Sam Darnold sat before reporters on Wednesday, and he did not seem afraid to be the quarterback for the Cleveland Browns.

There was a report in early November that the USC quarterback might stay in college for 2018 if the Browns own the No. 1 pick, then Darnold publicly refuted that at the end of November. Now, his pregame news conference before Friday's Cotton Bowl against Ohio State was peppered with NFL questions.

Here's an observation based only on what was said by Darnold, his teammates and offensive coordinator, Tee Martin, on Wednesday.

It seems like he'll declare for the 2018 NFL Draft. And he thinks it would be cool to be the No. 1 pick.

"Honestly, yeah, it would be awesome," Darnold said. "But at the same time, I look at it holistically and I'm going to factor everything into it. But, yeah, to be the No. 1 pick, that would be so special."

Darnold was asked about the Browns directly and in vague terms during two 20-minute interview sessions in adjoining rooms in a downtown hotel. He danced away from some queries, insisting he's focused on the Buckeyes and hasn't made a deep dive into his NFL choice with the Jan. 15 deadline to declare looming. But he wasn't ticked about the NFL questions, and he didn't dodge all of them.

"It's been a dream of mine to play in the NFL, so whenever I hear my name being talked about in someone's mock draft or whether or not he should stay or go, it's always interesting to listen to but at the same time I don't take it for granted," Darnold said. "I think it's cool, to be honest, to be in that conversation."

When asked about the idea of being drafted not just by a losing team, but by a hopeless team, which obviously was a indirect Browns reference, Darnold said this, making a possible sideways reference to UCLA quarterback Josh Rosen, who has talked about wanting to go to the right team:

"I honestly don't look at it that way. I know certain guys might look at it that way. But for me it's been such a dream of mine to play in the NFL, that whether I go now or I stay at USC, to be able to have the opportunity to even play in the NFL and achieve that dream of mine is something I've always looked at.

"And for an organization to put their trust in me to be able to go out there and play football for them, I think any opportunity to play for anyone would be amazing and something I always dreamed of."

USC Sam Darnold leaves a hospitality suite on his way to interviews in Dallas on Wednesday, as a ceiling to floor photo of him hangs in the background.

Asked specifically about what he'd look like in a Browns uniform, Darnold said this:

"Whenever I come out to go to the NFL, I'd be honored to play for any team. Any team that would give me that opportunity to be part of their organization, it would mean the world to me."

So vague or specific, he didn't change. He said he'll play for anyone.

But will the redshirt sophomore turn pro? NFL reporters and draft analysts don't have a firm grasp on what happens. Any potential No. 1 pick staying in school is tough, but it's not unheard of. Andrew Luck did it at Stanford as a redshirt sophomore, stayed to play his redshirt junior season, and then was drafted No. 1.

But the Trojans are certainly prepared for the idea of Friday being Darnold's final game.

"You can't really get any higher than that," USC offensive lineman Toa Lobendahn said. "If he would come back it would be purely for love of his team and his school and college football. But you can't really go any higher than being projected as the No. 1 pick.

"It's definitely a hard decision for him, and I'd definitely lean toward going, though."

Offensive coordinator Tee Martin, who played behind Peyton Manning at Tennessee and then led the Volunteers to the national title when he took over as quarterback, believes Darnold possesses everything he needs to make it big in the NFL now.

"Sam is a guy, ultimately at the end of the day, he wants to win. He's an extreme competitor. And I think he does like being in college," Martin said. "It may be one of those heartstrings things where, we made it to the Cotton Bowl, we did great, but can we do better? Can I play better? If that's the case, then you'll see him coming back.

"If he feels it's the right situation or the right time and for the right organization at the next level, he may make the decision to leave. I don't know. It's his decision. I'm biased, obviously. But if he did decide to leave, I think he'll be ready to go and be special."

Darnold has a game and a decision. The Browns have the No. 1 pick locked up.

Clearly, Darnold wasn't going to come out and rip the Browns in a news conference two days before the Cotton Bowl. But let's take this from Wednesday, which is probably what we all knew before.

Prepare for the idea of Darnold declaring. Prepare for a months-long quarterback debate, which should include Darnold, Rosen and Oklahoma's Baker Mayfield.

And prepare for the possibility of Darnold being the Browns' pick.