The expected recipient of this season’s Heisman Trophy, Baker Mayfield figures to generate plenty of opinions during the pre-draft process. Some of the immediate responses from NFL evaluators have been positive following the Oklahoma senior’s dominant regular season. Albert Breer of SI.com surmises from the several-dozen scouts he’s spoken to throughout the season that Mayfield should wind up as a first-round pick, his baggage notwithstanding.
“He’s extremely talented,” an AFC college scouting director told Breer. “Guys want to play for him, players believe in him, the staff believes in him. I’ve heard the comparisons to (Drew) Brees, (Johnny) Manziel, (Russell) Wilson, and there’s a little bit of all of them in his game. And he’s not Manziel in terms of the off-field stuff — he studies his ass off; he goes through his progressions; he’s not a typical spread QB. He has first-round ability.”
Mayfield’s height, around 6-foot, could be an issue for some teams. And his Big 12 background may as well. But Breer expects a first-round investment to occur.
Here’s more on Mayfield and other key prospects.
- Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com polled five NFL execs regarding Mayfield’s best destination and didn’t get one definitive answer. While some quarterback-needy teams came up, two decision-makers mentioned the Saints and Chargers as Mayfield fits. Both suggest multiyear apprenticeships behind Brees and Philip Rivers. However, a source told Matt Miller of Bleacher Report Rivers’ resurgence has “basically shut down” the prospect of the Bolts making a quarterback-of-the-future pick in the upcoming first round. Rivers turned 36 on Friday.
- Josh Rosen is the likeliest of the likely first-round quarterbacks to start from Day 1, a group of seven executives polled by Yahoo Sports concluded. The UCLA passer’s throwing motion is “as elite as it gets for a prospect,” Charles Robinson of Yahoo writes. That septet of execs rated Sam Darnold, Josh Allen and Mayfield as the Nos. 2-4 prospects and likely first-rounders. Darnold’s elongated throwing motion and tendency to bail on plays, in the mind of some evaluators, could cost him the No. 1 spot. Allen received the “project” label in this piece, but the Wyoming product’s size/speed/arm strength combination could be enticing — especially come workout time.
- On Allen, Miller notes the Cardinals are connected to the current junior signal-caller. Miller writes the Cardinals abandoned their first-round quarterback crusade after Patrick Mahomes went to the Chiefs at No. 10, with the team declaring it was going to delay its Carson Palmer succession strategy a year. Allen may be the next guy the Cards are eyeing, viewing his athleticism and potential — and presumably the likelihood he won’t be a top-two pick like the Pac-12 passers — as Mahomes-esque. That might not mean much at the moment, with Mahomes having yet to play, but Miller expects Allen to be a top-10 pick. That’s more than could have been said for Mahomes at this point in last year’s process. The Jets remain the team that’s done the most work on Allen, however.
- In a post connecting teams with prospects, Miller notes the Bears are “all about” Alabama wide receiver Calvin Ridley. However, the draft analyst notes the Bears are expected to land a top-10 pick. Ridley, in his mind, does not qualify for such an investment.
- Notre Dame’s offensive line figures to produce two first-round talents in tackle Mike McGlinchey and guard Quenton Nelson. While McGlinchy’s name has hovered on draft radars longer, Bucky Brooks of NFL.com notes Nelson is viewed as the better prospect among scouts. One scout declared Nelson was the best prospect he’d seen this season “by far.” Miller notes the Broncos have Nelson rated as the top offensive lineman on their early board.
- Cowboys coaching and scouting sources told Miller the team doesn’t expect to be holding mid-first-round picks much in the near future, and he writes the team will pursue a higher-end pass rusher “while it can.” That’s bold thinking for a team that is 6-6 and has missed the playoffs in five seasons this decade, but the Cowboys did earn home-field advantage last season. And the need for an impact end remains.
Hopefully the Bears are in position to take a QB like Rosen because Trubisky isn’t going to be the answer. Any guy ( Pace) who gives Glennon 18 mil and thinks that much of him dosent no crap about evaluating a QB
They have too many holes to waste a first round pick on another QB in consecutive drafts. That would set them back.
Remember hearing the same about Goff last year. He’s not been allowed to even throw the rock. Unleash this dude and let him play. He needs a offensive minded head coach.
There are below average WR’s on this “team” and that prevents Trubio from moving forward or becoming “better”. Praising him on a 102 yard, 1 TD game shows how terrible this team is and will be for many years in the future even if they fire Fox who is only a portion of the problem (the GM is the larger portion of this spoiled brew). The OL is weak and without depth. The Defense is fair but also without depth. Great RB. Worthless WR’s (even White who will never be healthy) and an unknown soyboy as QB (waiting to see evidence of an upside or intelligence about the position). Ho-ho-ho!
When this pseudo-GM is finally released to become a part-time bartender at Ditka’s the team will begin to rebuild for a winner.
While I don’t think the Bears should draft another QB you do bring up a concerning point. What was it that Pace saw that convinced him Glennon was worth that contract and was it the same stuff that convinced him he HAD to trade up to get Mitch.
Mayfield gonna be the next Manziel
Put some talent around Trubisky and he will be just fine. The Bears have way too many issues on the offensive side of the ball to put this squarely on Trubisky. Pace and Fox need to be the first ones gone. We need an offense-first coach to step in, and we need to give Fangio a hell of a raise so he doesn’t take his talents elsewhere. Go out and get Landry, then draft a big WR that can go up and get the ball.
Baker Mayfield to the Patriots!!! 2nd round!!
I’d like that as a Pats fan, but it’s not likely. I could see the Pats making a play to move up for one of Rosen, Darnold, Mayfield, or possibly Allen though. Allen might fit the timeline best if he really is a multi-year project, because I think Brady has 2-3 years tops before the arm starts to go. He might be somewhat effective for 4-5, but that’s being extremely optimistic.
He won’t get past the Jaguars at 32.