STRENGTHS
There is no one in this draft that is more committed to the goal of greatness than Baker Mayfield. Baker Mayfield is a winner. He’s electric and it’s just impossible to be his teammate and not feel his effort, heart and leadership. He has a good solid arm with better than average accuracy when throwing from the pocket or on the run. Baker Mayfield could throw the ball 50 yards down the field in a wind storm and hit the head of a nail. He has Drew Brees, Tom Brady type accuracy along with that same competitive nature. Those are the two skills that make me consider Baker as a top quarterback in this draft. He is adept at extending plays and his ability to adapt and make the right decisions is unique to just a few quarterbacks that I have seen coming out at the college level. He can play from the pocket, run for a 1st down and has the unique ability and football instincts to manipulate the pocket to benefit his offensive line’s pass blocking. Baker will be a franchise quarterback for the team that selects him because he doesn’t see any alternative for himself. I pity the GM who needs a quarterback in this draft and passes on selecting him, pity, pity, pity.

CONCERNS
Baker is just a little short for his position and for some stupid reason that will bother some teams and most likely will be the reason for teams not selecting him early in this draft. He also loses velocity on his deep throws because he has a bad habit of throwing off his back foot although he has the arm strength to throw deep. Of course there are some off field and on field issues that might turn off some teams from selecting Baker but for me personally with the information I have and have seen on film, his antics might be annoying, but those same annoying, in your face aggressiveness and large chip on his shoulder attitude, is also what makes him so appealing. He is the type of player the fans of his opponents love to hate but if he is on your team…you just love him.

BOTTOM LINE
Baker turns plays in the red zone into touch downs like a vampire turns people. That’s why I call him Baker (The Count) Mayfield. He has that “street smart” way and instincts in or out of the pocket to make impact plays very much like the Seahawks Russell Wilson and Vikings Case Keenum. He also has the natural ability to raise his play AND HIS TEAMATES PLAY by holding himself accountable very much like Tim Tebow did. You’re never out of a game with Baker playing quarterback and every team and coach he plays against knows that and fears his ability to bring his team from behind until the last whistle blows. Baker plays with a swagger and arrogance that hides his true insecurities. Nevertheless his insecurities are his strength and the key to his ability to be successful. Drew Brees was selected in the 2nd round, Russell Wilson wasn’t selected until the 3rd round and Case Keenum wasn’t selected at all and all of these quarterbacks had proven college production and instincts in and out of the pocket to make the big play in the big game. All were NOT selected early in their drafts because of one reason and one reason only…their size. I suspect Baker will be fighting this same issue and I doubt he will be selected as early as I have him rated in this draft. For me personally I say, select him at any point or round, put in an offense that magnifies his strengths and then COACH BETTER. Baker (The Count) Mayfield, he turns plays in the red zone into touch downs like a vampire turns people.

Drew Boylhart   DEC 2017