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2018 NFL Draft QB stock report – Week 11: Baker Mayfield a first round talent?

By Conor Dorney

STILLWATER, OK - NOVEMBER 04: Quarterback Baker Mayfield
STILLWATER, OK - NOVEMBER 04: Quarterback Baker Mayfield /
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STILLWATER, OK – NOVEMBER 04: Quarterback Baker Mayfield No. 6 of the Oklahoma Sooners in between plays against the Oklahoma State Cowboys at Boone Pickens Stadium on November 4, 2017 in Stillwater, Oklahoma. Oklahoma defeated Oklahoma State 62-52. (Photo by Brett Deering/Getty Images)
STILLWATER, OK – NOVEMBER 04: Quarterback Baker Mayfield No. 6 of the Oklahoma Sooners in between plays against the Oklahoma State Cowboys at Boone Pickens Stadium on November 4, 2017 in Stillwater, Oklahoma. Oklahoma defeated Oklahoma State 62-52. (Photo by Brett Deering/Getty Images) /
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Baker Mayfield

QB, Oklahoma

Though I’m admittedly not as big of a Mayfield fan as some, it’s hard to argue with the gaudy numbers that the Sooners gunslinger has put up during his time as a starting quarterback. In Week 10, Mayfield threw for an absurd 598 yards and five touchdowns en route to an impressive 62-52 road shootout victory against in-state rival Oklahoma State.

We’ll hear Mayfield’s height (listed by the school at 6’1″) discussed quite frequently over the next several months, but he is without a doubt one of the most electrifying players in college football when he’s on the field. He’s completed over 70 percent of his passes in each of his last two seasons and looks well on his way to his third consecutive 30-plus passing touchdown season.

Mayfield’s improvisational skills and ability to extend plays tend to be a feature of most of his highlights, but he certainly has the arm strength to make all the throws at the next level. He offsets his size by getting low and driving the ball with his lower half on deep balls and tends to hit on these throws with high accuracy.

Putting aside his off-the-field stuff, which will ultimately be up to NFL front offices to dig deeper into than I can, the biggest issue I see with Mayfield is his tendency to revert to poor mechanics and get happy feet while in the pocket. There will be plenty of Russell Wilson comps thrown around, but I don’t think Mayfield is the same type of athlete and therefore can run himself into some unnecessary plays while looking for the home run. He will sometimes get impatient going through his progressions, causing him to completely square his feet to the line of scrimmage when throwing, which usually results in his most inaccurate passes.

There are a lot of layers that will make up the final evaluation of Mayfield as an NFL prospect, but he’s certainly fun to watch and could be on his way to single-handedly leading the Sooners to a spot in the College Football Playoff and maybe even a Heisman Trophy in the process.

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