Late to the Baker Train, but I’m on Board!
None of the quarterbacks in this 2018 NFL Draft Class really stood out as a clear-cut #1. I felt like since the end of last season, USC’s Sam Darnold was much of the talk as the perennial first pick, but not with much conviction. I mean, Darnold had some obvious flaws, especially when it came to turning the ball over. That’s something us Browns fans had been used to for many years and would hate to see again…
However, I felt the team was going to take Darnold, the safe pick, and then trade down from four or select Bradley Chubb. They did neither.
In the last two days, rumors surfaced of Oklahoma quarterback, Baker Mayfield, being the Browns’ choice as the top pick. Mayfield was the only other quarterback I’d be happy with the Browns taking, as I did not like the idea of Josh Rosen or Josh Allen playing in Cleveland.
Last season for the Sooners, Mayfield threw for 4,627 yards, 43 touchdowns and his completion percentage was an astonishing 70.5%. See, I feel if he was a couple inches taller and didn’t make a few off-the-field mistakes in college, he was a no-brainer at number one.
Clearly, Dorsey was able to overlook Mayfield’s past mistakes in college to make him the first overall pick in the draft. Obviously, I was very excited about it:
My reaction: pic.twitter.com/urIF4IdhMj
— Zach Shafron (@ZachOnCST) April 27, 2018
Note: The crotch grab was to pay homage to one of Baker’s more foolish moments as a college player.
Baker Mayfield has been compared to Johnny Manziel many times, but there is a big difference between the two. While each had their fair share of issues in college, Mayfield, unlike Manziel, has resolved his problems and is a more mature individual that is pro-ready. Johnny wasn’t ready for the NFL and the Browns should’ve recognized that fact. Admittedly, I was a huge Manziel fan myself, his flashiness was hard to resist and I totally understood why the Browns picked him, especially when he dropped.
One other thing to point out is that Dorsey was not the GM for the Manziel pick, so while we have this comparison between the two, he likely didn’t make the same one we, as fans, have made over these past few months.
Moving forward, the good thing is that the Browns have a capable starter in Tyrod Taylor and a backup in Drew Stanton, so Mayfield can sit an entire season and learn from a capable starter. Another problem with Manziel is he was waiting under Brian Hoyer and Josh McCown, two terrible quarterbacks.
Mayfield is a winner.
His story is great. He walked on to two different schools, earned his right to start, had major success and is now a number one pick for a storied franchise. No matter the circumstances, he always is able to overcome the adversity to accomplish the task at hand.
That’s the quarterback this city needs.
Meanwhile, the Browns have weapons such as Josh Gordon, Jarvis Landry, David Njoku and more who will make Mayfield’s life a bit easier than Browns quarterbacks of the past. Yes, this team didn’t win a game last year, but they are already much improved.
As long as Mayfield keeps his mistakes in the past, makes football his main focus and gives it 100% all the time, even as a backup, he is bound to have success here in Cleveland. Mayfield’s first win as a Sooner came against the University of Akron and he won’t be playing far from there on Sundays.
Best of luck, Baker, and let’s hope the Browns don’t have to draft a quarterback or pick at the #1 slot for a very, very long time.
Photo: ESPN
