Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield is perhaps the most polarizing player in this year’s draft.
Some scouts will say that he’s too short and will compare him to Johnny Manziel, but that is unfair to Mayfield as the two players are not anywhere near the same ballpark when compared head-to-head.
The comparisons come from the fact that, at 6’1”, Mayfield is a shorter athletic quarterback, but that should be it.
Mayfield, if drafted, will become the third shortest quarterback in the league after Russell Wilson (5’11”) and Drew Brees (6’0”), but both those players proved their critics wrong not only with their stellar play but also by winning the Super Bowl.
His play on the field at Oklahoma led him to win the 2017 Heisman trophy as he completed at least 63 percent of his passes in all of his games. He finished the year with a 70.5 percent completion ratio (down from 70.9 in 2016) while throwing 43 touchdowns, with just six interceptions.
This wasn’t a fluke either. He increased his passing yardage, yards per attempt, touchdown and quarterback rating every single year while in college.
His accuracy is something that can’t be taught. He can spin the deep ball as well as he can fit it into a tight window where only his receiver can catch it.
That explains why he had just six interceptions on over 400 passes attempts in 2017. He also has the ability to throw while on the run without setting his feet, something that will translate well and help him at any level.
If he lands in a team with a good offensive line situation he could rush for 200 to 400 yards in the NFL, and that versatility should benefit him in the long term when comparing him with the pocket passers that could be drafted in front of him this year.
Although he has mobility and can run he’s always looking to throw the ball first. He threw 83 touchdowns on 762 attempts over the last two seasons, which is equivalent to throwing a touchdown pass every 9.2 pass attempts.
Unless his off-the-field incidents scare teams from picking him up he’s likely to be taken early in the draft and thus will probably land in a struggling team and would be difficult to see him having an impact in his first year. He would benefit the most if he could sit behind a seasoned veteran for a year while he matures and further develops his game.
He can draw comparisons to Russell Wilson who is shorter than Mayfield but can throw on the run, is very accurate, and also has a running ability that he will only use if absolutely necessary.
Potential landing spots: Cleveland Browns, New York Jets, New York Giants, Denver Broncos and Arizona Cardinals.
