It goes back to those two camps: those who can critically evaluate the QB position, and those who cannot.
Orlovsky is a good follow on twitter, but he needs to make up his damn mind. He is also championing how you cant hold his completion percentage against him because he would need to complete 26 more passes in 24 games to hit 60%. This is part true, but still part click bait/hot take. ::EDIT:: Pat McAfee (former punter) is a solid follow to.
Please don't use that word moron.... See how it feels? And no, I am not a little person. I am just someone who despises words that are considered highly offensive. Would you throw around "R" word to describe intellect....wait, what am I saying, you probably would/do...What about the "N" word? I'm just here to educate you, class is in session. The world would be a better place if you just took certain words out of the vocabulary. I know some of you think this is hogwash coming from ME. It's just something I feel strongly about. I work with youth sports and have to deal with bullying every day. I get to know the key words...
Now...Need I remind you that a 6 foot tall athlete is not small in stature. There are stereotypes of the perfect QB, but it isn't a written rule. I for the life of me don't see how it isn't obvious Baker Mayfield is the best QB in this draft. I DO UNDERSTAND if your argument is solely based on his antics on and off the field. I have no argument against personal feelings on a prospects demeanor. He has done enough in his past on and off the field combined to build an argument. Personally, if that is what turns you off, then I would vote for getting two game changing players at #1 and #4...or even trading ONE of the picks to acquire yet more future help to the TEAM. But, if you are basing evaluations truly on talent and the most likely to succeed at the NFL level, Baker Mayfield is the only choice, there really shouldn't even be an argument. being 6 foot 5/8 of an inch tall is not an argument, it is a side note. If he had tendencies showing it as a hinderence, then it would be an excuse to drop him in the rankings, but he doesn't have any such tendencies. So, in my mind, the argument comes down to two things.. 1) Do you want to hedge your future on a QB that doesn't have all boxes checked in what you look for in a QB? One that doesn't rank highly against recent successes in the NFL regardless of where they were personally drafted. 2) Do you want to hedge your future on a QB that ranks above recent success stories in nearly every category you look at as a physical talented QB ready to make a change to the highest level of the sport. BUT, and I don't take this lightly, has a history of immature statements that could publicly tarnish himself, the team and the league? I have gone through all those scenarios personally. I didn't like him as soon as he planted the flag, I'll be the first to admit it. BUT, when it became clear that we were going to have the #1 overall pick, I had to dig deep into the candidates and decide what was the best thing in my mind for the team moving forward. I came to a few realizations. 1) The arrest incident by all accounts seems to be an isolated incident. This was the main reason he was compared to Manziel, but in reality, Manziel had never been arrested, he just publicly showed that his partying was an important part of his life, his makeup. I can't find any evidence that is true with Mayfield, so I had to discard it. 2) I had to get over my disdain for him after planting the flag. This one was rather easy, easier than I thought it would be. All I had to do is go to some college boards and discuss it and find out that outside of Ohio, no one else thought it was a big deal. It was made a joke and good click bait, but even Urban Meyer and other tOSU staff and players never took it as a serious insult. We as fans were bitter that they beat us, plain and simple. 3) The crotch grab. This one probably effected me more than the others. Simply because he allowed the opposing team to get into his head. That bothers me...If teams know they can effect a QB IN ANY WAY, they will use it against him. At the end of the day, you have to measure all other aspects of evaluation, and "hope" the more he sees this in the NFL, the less it effects him. I hope he doesn't become immune to it, because I also think it is part of his fire that keeps him wanting to be the best player on the field...in most cases, he has been his whole life despite every one telling him he was too short to be the best player... I'll cut it off there in order to keep this post as short as possible... Edit: "No pun intended"
I actually do agree that you can't hold is completion percentage against him. But at the same time, I do not think he's an accurate passer. Again, it all comes down to consistency with Allen. Three out of 10 throws will be beauts with the other seven sucking out loud. At the next level, you need it to be the other way around just to be competitive.
ICYMI... Mary Kay Clickbait* saying the Browns' decision has come down to Mayfield, Darnold, or Allen at #1. Rosen and Jackson are not being considered. EDIT: *Consider the source.
It's just comical how every damn year there are guys that shoot up the draft boards because they are physical specimens, run fast, bench more, jump higher, and impress in shorts. Also, every damn year, they're almost all misses when people over draft. At an almost inversely proportional rate, there are guys that drop due to measurable, that do produce. This year, arguably the move polarizing player in the draft actually checks all the boxes and everyone is hung up on his height. It's not like he is 5'6'' trotting our there. He is less than 1.5" under the "ideal" QB height. He played with pro sized lineman, Brown is probably bigger than most T in the league and all Baker did was complete 70+% of his passes. He is 6006, and HAS BEEN A QB HIS WHOLE FOOTBALL CAREER. He knows what he has to do to get the job done. He can anticipate, throw guys open, throw on the run, move up in the pocket, do whatever he has to do to get the ball to his guy, but its never going to be good enough because the guy that looks like he should be the quarterback has the higher "upside" because he is taller.
So next time you're looking at something 10 yards away... slump down just a notch and see if your perception changes. Spoiler ahead: it doesn't.
I would beg to differ. Place a 2x4 that is 10 yards long on top of something that is 6'5" tall. ie an offensive lineman. By the time you drop your end down 2.5 inches the other end raises up 2-3 ft. So those inches become very important to a passer.
What??? We are talking about passing lanes here, not a 2x4 stretched across the line. For your theory to make sense the field would have to go up hill both ways for a QB that is 6'2" to have a distinct advantage over a QB that is 6'0". A 6'2" guy isn't looking over the helmet of a 6'6" lineman..he is also looking through the passing lanes. Come on guys, this isn't rocket science...
I think the passing lane discussion as a potential negative for Baker is based around the type of throwing lanes his offense provided in Oklahoma, his penchant for changing the angle of his delivery and his consistent use of the speed ball even when he would be better served to take some heat off. His height will be an issue at times, but it's not going to be the deciding factor for whether or not he has success as a pro.
We will agree on the fact it won't be a factor in whether or not he has success as a pro...it ends there for me.
