NFL Draft Diamonds Scouting Report: Baker Mayfield, QB, Oklahoma
Baker Mayfield- Position: QB
- School: Oklahoma
- College Experience: Senior
- Hometown: Austin, Texas
- Height/Weight: 6ft 1/220 lbs.
- Games Watched: 2017 vs Oklahoma State, Texas
Overview
Started his college career at Texas Tech and was named the starting Quarterback in 2013 and went on to be named Big 12 Conference Freshman player of the year in 2013, he would end up leaving for the University of Oklahoma after the season. He was not eligible to play until the 2015 season. As a sophomore he would go on to pass for 3,700 yards, 36 touchdowns, and 7 interceptions. He finished fourth in the Heisman voting and led Oklahoma to the 2015 College Football Playoff. In 2016 Mayfield was named a finalist for the 2016 Heisman Trophy along with teammate Dede Westbrook. He passed for 3,669 yards 38 touchdowns and 8 interceptions. He would end up finishing third in the Heisman voting, and led the Sooners to a 35-19 victory over Auburn in the Sugar bowl. His best game of his college career came in 2017 as a senior against Oklahoma State where he passed for 598 yards and 5 touchdowns.
Strengths
Mayfield is a very difficult player to defend. His best trait is his ability to escape and extend plays. If his first and second reads are unavailable, he runs around behind the line of scrimmage, avoiding defenders and allowing his pass-catchers plenty of time to uncover. He has some nifty carries on occasion, but he usually scrambles to throw, not run. He has excellent touch on underneath throws such as swings, bubble screens, shallow crossers, and his deep-ball touch is above average. He doesn’t have a huge arm, but he flashes the ability to drive the ball. Doesn’t lack for toughness. Took some nasty shots in some games and kept getting back up for more. Teammates will approve of that. He is competitive and a very exciting player to watch.
Weaknesses
Mayfield is undersized for the NFL with just average arm strength, however. He can have issues reading defenses as well. Sometimes forces throws into tight coverage and trusts his accuracy a lot which leads to interceptions a lot in the NFL. Has a high tendency of holding on to the ball to long trying to keep the play alive which leads him to taking frequent hits and loosing the ball.
Draft Projection
Round 1
NFL Comparison
Kirk Cousins
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