Baker Mayfield “Squarely In Play” For Browns At No. 1 Overall?

January 26, 2018

According to Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports, Oklahoma QB Baker Mayfield is “squarely in play” for the Browns at No. 1 overall in this year’s draft after a strong showing at the Senior Bowl this week.

Robinson says that Mayfield’s skills and on-field mentality have left multiple evaluators believing the Browns could be headed for a debate between Mayfield and USC QB Sam Darnold for the top pick.

“A lot of what he is as a player fits with the mentality of [Cleveland Brown’s general manager] John Dorsey,” a source tells Robinson. “Just his mental makeup as a player, John believes in building around those kinds of guys. … I think he’s a strong candidate [for the top pick] after this week.”

Robinson says that people who have worked for Dorsey in the past have made a strong case for why Mayfield could be the first player off the board including:

Dorsey’s close friend Scot McCloughan going on record that he would take Mayfield as the centerpiece to build around.
Sources who know Dorsey have suggested to Robinson that Mayfield is very much in that wheelhouse for has the mindset Dorsey will be looking for in Cleveland.
Robinson says that Mayfield offers accuracy and mobility, which is something Dorsey values in quarterbacks.
A source who knows Dorsey has worked with players who’ve had off-the-field issues in the past such as Brett Favre while they were in Green Bay together.

Robinson still expects Dorsey and the Browns to do plenty of work on all of the available quarterback prospects including Josh Rosen and Josh Allen. Beyond that, Robinson admits that Mayfield’s size is the least ideal of this group, which could make Darnold a “strong favorite” to go No. 1 overall.

During his four-year college career at Texas Tech and Oklahoma, Mayfield threw for 14,607 yards while completing 68.5 percent of his passes to go along with 131 touchdowns and 30 interceptions over the course of 48 games. He also rushed 1,083 yards and 21 touchdowns.

Mayfield was the 2017 Heisman Trophy winner.