Baker Mayfield

edgy, highly-competitive personality and needs to develop thicker skin and better control his emotions to prevent lapses in judgement – suspended the first series of the 2017 west virginia game following his actions (grabbing his crotch and yelling obscenities toward the opponent) vs. kansas (nov. 2017) the week prior.

Needs to mature on and off the field – arrested and charged (Feb. 2017) with public intoxication, disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and fleeing after Washington County (Ark.) police responded to an assault report and Mayfield attempted to run from authorities. Left Texas Tech on poor terms due to “miscommunication” with the coaching staff and was forced to hire a lawyer to gain his release from the program to receive a scholarship from Oklahoma. Benefited from a fast-break spread offensive system in a conference with below average defensive play that helped inflate his production – inexperienced under center. – Dane Brugler 12/12/17

shorter than ideal with a lower release point. routinely throws without setting his feet and relies more on his arm than body mechanics to deliver fastballs, which works for him more times than not, but will also result with inaccurate throws. frantic eyes and moves too quickly through his reads, leading to missed open receivers or failure to locate disguised coverages. inconsistent reading blitzes pre-snap.

Bad habit of holding the ball too long and takes sacks he shouldn’t – benefited from strong offensive line play at Oklahoma. Fumbled 13 times at Oklahoma with too many examples of him being careless with the ball when scrambling. Lacks ideal body mass and his never-surrender style leads to unnecessary hits on his frame – didn’t miss any games the past three seasons at Oklahoma, but battled several minor injuries, including a bruised right (throwing) shoulder (Oct. 2017) that kept him from practicing for several weeks.

gives his receivers a chance to make a play with his timing and ball placement. displays natural touch on throws to the outside and deep shots. short memory and doesn’t dwell on mistakes. toughness (mental and physical) and competitive drive not question marks for this player. unfazed by the blitz and trusts his internal clock. slow heart beat and thrives when the lights are the brightest. carries himself with infectious energy that other players follow. supreme confidence (walked on at two different fbs power-five schools) and was a two-time winner of the burlsworth trophy (most outstanding player who began career as a walk-on). father (james) was a collegiate quarterback at houston (1967-69). production improved each of his four seasons as a collegiate starter, setting numerous oklahoma records. – dane brugler 12/12/2017

WEAKNESSES

in our view

Mayfield is the type of fearless, locked-in competitor that you don't bet against, but his maturity level is a concern because he doesn't know how to turn off his competitive nature - it's how he is wired on and off the field, leading to situations of questionable judgement. Overall, Mayfield's brash personality won't be ideal for every situation and his long-term durability is a concern, but he has the necessary passing traits, both physical and mental, to be a winning starter in the NFL.

strengths

Quick-footed athlete with subtle pocket maneuvers and instinctive scrambling skills. Holds a graduate degree in working off-script, buying time, throwing from different platforms and using various arm angles. Requisite arm strength to zip throws into tight areas. Quick load-and-fire delivery motion. Above average processing speed to make whole field reads and anticipate windows.

compares to

Jeff Garcia, San Francisco 49ers, Philadelphia Eagles, among others - A four-time NFL Pro Bowler, Garcia helped lead the 49ers to several postseason appearances, using his athleticism and improvisation off platform to make plays. Mayfield is cut from a similar cloth, lacking ideal size, but relying on his natural instincts to sustain drives.

testing

Led Lake Travis to a 25-2 record during two seasons as the starting quarterback

guided team to a 9-2 record as a senior and to a 6-0 record during district play with a District 15-5A Championship

completed 182 of 288 passes for 2,467 yards with 22 touchdowns and just three interceptions as a senior

named 15-5A District MVP Named All-Centex Third Team

helped lead Lake Travis to an undefeated 16-0 season in 2011 on the way to a 4A State Championship

passed for 3,788 yards in first season as a starting quarterback on 247 of 378 passing (65%) with 45 touchdown passes and only five interceptions

Texas Sports Writers All-State Second Team

AP All-State Honorable Mention

tallied 6,255 yards on 429 of 666 passing with 67 touchdowns and eight interceptions during high school career.

Son of James and Gina Mayfield

majoring in communication.

2017

2016

2015