After months of waiting and speculating, the Browns finally have made their pick at number one, going with Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield with the first overall pick.
Here’s the bio on Mayfield, who won the Heisman back in 2017 and the was the player of the year, winning a number of Big 12 titles.
Mayfield finished his career as one of the most decorated quarterbacks in college football history, topping it off by winning the Heisman Trophy, Maxwell Award, Davey O’Brien Award, and the Big 12 Championship and a spot in the 2017 College Football Playoff. Mayfield completed 70.5 percent of his passes (285-of-404), throwing 43 touchdowns against just six interceptions (also rushing for 311 yards and five scores). The Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year led the nation in pass efficiency by a large margin (setting a NCAA record that he himself set the previous year) and yards per pass attempt (11.8), and finished in the top five of pretty much every other passing category. He was an all-state pick from Texas, but his lack of size scared major college programs away. He began his college days in Lubbock, walking on at Texas Tech. In his one and only season there, Mayfield started seven of eight games played, winning Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year (218-of-340, 64.1 percent complete, 2,315 yards, 12 touchdowns, nine interceptions). Tech head coach Kliff Kingsbury decided to open up the starting competition, so Mayfield left campus to find a new home. He sat out the 2014 season as a transfer student to Oklahoma (eventually, Big 12 coaches approved a rule that gave Mayfield an extra year of eligibility to make up for the lost season, as he was a walk-on that never received a scholarship offer from Tech). Finally on the field as the No. 1 starter in 2015, Mayfield became a second-team Associated Press All-American, Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year, finished fourth in Heisman Trophy voting, and was a finalist for the Davey O’Brien, Manning, and Walter Camp Player of the Year Awards. He also won the Burlsworth Trophy as the nation’s top player who began his career as a walk-on after completing 68.1 percent of his passes (269-of-395) for 3,700 yards and 36 touchdowns against just seven interceptions. In addition to winning Burlsworth Trophy again in 2016, Mayfield was first-team All-Big 12, finished third in Heisman voting, and was a finalist for the Maxwell and Davey O’Brien Awards after leading the FBS in passing efficiency (196.4 rating, ranked first with 70.9 completion percentage, 3,965 yards, 40 touchdowns, eight interceptions). While his completion percentage was aided by horizontal throws, his mobility helped him find secondary targets and his ability to throw passes over the top of defenses also led him to lead the FBS with 11.1 yards per attempt. Mayfield was arrested for public intoxication, disorderly conduct, and fleeing/resisting arrest in February 2017. He was not suspended for those actions, though he was required to participate in alcohol education classes and community service.
“I’m always excited about the release of our schedule,” Browns coach Hue Jackson said. “The release of your schedule is one of the final pieces to your planning for the season. I like our schedule. It’s balanced, it’s tough but that’s exactly what we expected. We play some really good quarterbacks to start the season and two playoff teams out the gate.”
“If there was a consensus John (Dorsey) had come to, he would’ve told me,” Jackson said during a press conference Tuesday. “That’s not the case.”
He said Josh Allen, Sam Darnold, Josh Rosen and Baker Mayfield are all still in the mix “but it’ll be pretty clear at the end who’s the best player for us.”
He said he’s “laughed at” all the recent reports that Allen is the guy, because they haven’t arrived at a decision yet.
He said Dorsey has holed up to reach his decision.
“When John Dorsey goes dark, he goes dark,” he said.
Quarterback Kevin Hogan has gotten his wish, as the now former Browns QB has been dealt to the Washington Redskins for a 2018 sixth-round pick, the 188th overall pick.
The #Browns and Washington Redskins have agreed to the following trade:
Browns receive:
Redskins 2018 sixth-round pick (188th overall)
Redskins receive:
QB Kevin Hogan
Browns 2018 sixth-round pick (205th overall) acquired from the Patriots in trade for Jason McCourty.
The Browns reportedly are going to take quarterback Sam Darnold with the first pick later this month in the draft, but that’s not stopping them from doing their homework on other QB’s.
One such player is Baker Mayfield, and today NFL.com reports that Mayfield started the first of a two-day visit with the Browns in Berea.
We’re less than a month away from the draft, which means dinner expenses are about to get pricey.
In a draft class stocked with quarterback talent, two of the the presumed top four signal-callers are hitting the road for meetings with teams picking in the top three. Oklahoma’s Baker Mayfield is flying to Cleveland for a two-day visit with the Browns beginning Monday, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported.
Meanwhile, Wyoming quarterback Josh Allen is heading east to meet with the New York Jets early this week, Rapoport reported.
As expected, teams are doing their due diligence with potential first-round selections, hosting an assortment of prospects in the weeks leading up to the draft as they attempt to determine where those players land on their draft boards. It’s a natural and necessary part of the process, and sometimes an essential one that can sway a team one way or another on a specific player. With Cleveland selecting at Nos. 1 and 4 and in need of a quarterback, Mayfield is the first of the quartet to visit GM John Dorsey and the rest of the staff. The other three — Allen, Josh Rosen and Sam Darnold — will meet with the Browns at their Berea, Ohio, facility later this week, per The Plain Dealer’s Mary Kay Cabot.
The hype for USC quarterback Sam Darnold has b3en growing by leaps and bounds the last few weeks, to the point where many feel he’s going to be the first overall pick in the NFL Draft in April.
At 6-4, 220 pounds, he’s got the look of a player who with some time learning could be a very good to excellent quarterback in the NFL, but time will tell when he might get that chance.
In his final season at USC, Darnold threw for 4143 yards, with 26 touchdowns to go along with 13 picks. This after throwing 31 touchdowns and nine interceptions the season before.
Here’s a look at Darnold and what various places are saying about him in our latest scouting report.
Strengths:
Naturally accurate passer
Fits passes into tight windows
Excellnt ball placement
Throws a catchable ball
Pocket presence
Has poise
Advanced anticipation; instinctive thrower
Throws with good timing
Can accelerate his throwing motion
Quality arm strength
Pushed team to wins
Good internal clock
Mobility
Throws very well on the run
Throws accurately off platform
Displays some feel in the pocket
Not easy to sack
Can hurt defenses on the ground
Can make all the throws required
Can pick up yards on the ground
Threads passes into tight windows
Weaknesses:
Ball security
Too many interceptions
Too many fumbles
Had some confidence issues in 2017
Doesn’t secure the ball well when getting sacked
Good enough not doesn’t have elite arm strength
Throwing mechanics are a bit unorthodox
Needs to start games faster
Summary: Darnold took college football by storm during the 2016 season, and even though he wasn’t eligible for the 2017 NFL Draft, the redshirt freshman had scouts buzzing about his pro potential. After a 1-2 start to the 2016 season for USC, Darnold was made the starting quarterback. For his debut season, he was an extremely efficient passer who led the Trojans to a 10-3 record. Darnold lost his first-ever start against a good Utah team, but after that he led his team to ripping off a nine-game win streak to close out the year, including impressive wins over Colorado, Washington, and a comeback Rose Bowl win over Penn State. Darnold completed 67 percent of his passes in 2016 for 3,086 yards with 31 touchdowns and nine interceptions.
The 2017 season was more of a mixed bag for Darnold. The redshirt sophomore completed 63 percent of his passes for 4,143 yards with 26 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. He had an up-and-down season with too many turnovers – fumbles were a particular issue beyond the interceptions. Darnold also made some beautiful anticipatory throws with excellent accuracy in just about every game.
There is a lot to like about Darnold as a future starter in the NFL. First and foremost, he is an accurate pocket passer who throws with good ball placement and is very precise in the short to intermediate part of the field. Darnold has excellent anticipation to know when and where receivers are going open. With his feel and timing, Darnold hits receivers on the run, leading them to picking up yards after the catch. He also regularly will throw receivers open and help them to find space to beat tight coverage. Darnold is a natural rhythm thrower who would fit best in a West Coast system to maximize his ability to throw accurately in the short to intermediate part of the field. He is a smooth precision passer who can be deadly when he gets into a good groove.
Darnold is comfortable in the pocket, but also has the ability to move around to buy time. While he is not a running quarterback, he is functional to avoid sacks and will move around to help his offensive line and receivers. Darnold made a number of really nice plays during the past two years when things went off script as he got creative to move the ball for his offense. Routinely, Darnold would buy time with his feet and then make an accurate throw downfield with the rush closing in on him.
In my eyes, Sam Darnold is a very odd prospect. Talked about as a number 1 overall draft pick. Talked about as the best Quarterback coming out of college this year. However, I am not seeing any of this. When I watch Darnold, I see one of the most streaky Quarterback play I think I have seen in awhile. At time looks very hesitant to throw, missing an opportunity. Other times he looks too eager and makes a bad decision. He has his good moments, but then a play later he will have a combination of bad plays. Moving in the pocket too early and too often, inconsistent accuracy, and staring down a play for too long are major turn offs to me.
The first thing I notice about Darnold when watching him is that he seems to ignore his dump off routes. He seems so locked in on making a big play, he forgets about the guys that are 5 yards away from him. I can respect wanting to make a big play for the team, but after staring downfield for eternity it’s time to hit your shallow routes. At least LOOK at them to see if they are open. There is no shame in taking an easy three to five yards. Not every throw has to get the crowd on their feet.
The second thing I notice is how much he likes to move around in the pocket. And that is just not his style. I get running to avoid a sack, but too many times I saw him run with a clean pocket. Multiple times he would take off to the outskirts of the pocket, making it easier for defenders to get off their block. He seems to just panic unless he has the cleanest pocket one could possibly have. If he would stand tall in the pocket and deliver, his accuracy issues would go down as well. His deep balls are inconsistent, and the times he does go to dump it off, those are not always pretty either. His best throws come from his 10-15 yarders. Which always happen to be when he stands his ground.
I will say though, 4th quarter Sam Darnold seems to be a better player than in other quarters. He reads the field better, has better ball placement, and doesn’t try to run around as much. It just seems something clicks a bit better for him during the 4th. Like he has calmed down. He just needs to be able to play similar to that all game if he is gonna be the number 1 overall pick this upcoming draft.
I think Darnold has a lot to work on. Personally there are 4 other Quarterbacks I would take before drafting him. He does good things, unfortunately, his good things just are not consistent enough and are overshadowed by his flaws. I believe if he can work on sitting in the pocket longer instead of trying to escape right away (while not holding the ball for too long), a lot of his issues will start fading. I think Darnold will have a real rough start to his career, but if keeps his confidence and keeps fixing his game, it will work out for him in the long run.
Darnold’s entire game is predicated upon his ability to create. Darnold is an athletic player; he is able to pull the ball down and gain chunks of yardage with his legs. His agility and change of direction catch many defenders off guard.
That is why offensive coordinator Tee Martin built an offense that maximized his legs. USC ran a heavy dose of run pass options (RPOs), a concept that gave Darnold many options pre- and post-snap, and he absolutely flourished. On a majority of their plays, Darnold had the ability to give the ball to star running back Ronald Jones, keep it as a runner, or throw it to one of his many weapons outside. This multi-dimensional structure of a play was obviously super productive. His decision making was very good all season, especially on these RPOs. He can process the coverage, find the conflict defender, and distribute the ball quickly.
But what is often overlooked is the accuracy and velocity needed on these kinds of concepts. At times, after the mesh with the running back or play fake, the passing lane is cluttered with defenders coming downhill to defend what they perceive to be a run. Once they realize that it is a pass, they immediately try to get their hands up in the passing lanes. Darnold makes these throws look easy. Standing at 6’4? and 220 pounds, he is able to place the ball in optimal locations, allowing his weapons to make plays.
At the next level, Darnold is going to make his money in the short area. While his elongated release and sloppy footwork will cause issues at times, something I will cover later, it isn’t an issue from 0-9 yards. That bodes well for Sam, because that is where football is won and lost on Sundays. His mechanics aren’t an issue because he is throwing in rhythm and not having to worry about mechanics.
According to SportsInfo Solutions (SIS), Darnold’s short game is phenomenal. From 0-9 yards, he had the highest completion percentage (75.4%), the 4th-most passing yards (1,534), 12th-most touchdowns (10), the 3rd-highest yards per attempt (7.6), and the 5th-highest rating (107.2).
Weaknesses:
As productive as Darnold was over his 27 games at USC, he has some serious flaws that need to be addressed, the first of which is turnovers. Darnold threw 22 interceptions over two years and added another 20 fumbles. This lack of ball security will get you benched quickly.
While the offense surrendered an average of 2.14 sacks a game and a grand total of 30 sacks in 2017, he admitted that he was pushing it too much.
Many of his turnovers are linked to his mechanics. Darnold has some of the worst mechanics I have ever seen from a quarterback. Let’s start with his delivery. Typically, a quarterback with an elongated delivery like Darnold’s will struggle at the next level. From the time he begins his delivery to the time of release is often the difference between a tight window completion and an interception. Defensive backs are just too good on Sundays. If he is slightly late anticipating a throw and needs to drive a pass, the split second longer that it takes to release the ball due to his delivery could lead to an interception, much like it did versus Washington State. The safety bails post-snap, baiting Darnold to throw the speed out as he gets the 1-on-1 coverage. The defensive back reads the route, breaks, and picks him off.
A two-year starter at USC, Sam Darnold is widely praised for his toughness, football IQ and leadership. A coach with the Trojans told me Darnold only cares about football and not the benefits of being a star quarterback. He did turn the ball over 22 times in 2017, which should at a minimum send scouts back to the tape to find the context of each turnover. But Darnold’s tangible and intangible traits are tops in the class.
Scout’s Quote: “Crystal clean off the field. Smart, poised, tough, accurate. He might be the only one that could work in Cleveland because he won’t let the pressure go to his head.”
Coach’s Quote: “The release and turnovers bother me, but he has the makeup to be good. He’s better than [Mitch] Trubisky was last year but he’s not on the level of [Carson] Wentz or Jared [Goff].”
Scout’s Comparison: Tony Romo, retired
Darnold impressed at his Pro Day, throwing in the rain back on March 21st
Free agent cornerback E.J. Gainesis scheduled to visit the Jets on Thursday and Browns on Friday, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports.
Gaines met with the Arizona Cardinals last week.
Gaines, who is one of two players unsigned and untagged in our list of the Top 25 free agents, left the Rams in a trade with the Bills last summer. He had 59 tackles, three forced fumbles and an interception in 11 games for Buffalo.
In addition to signing Johnson, the Jets also re-signed Morris Claiborne this month and Gaines would give them a solid set of cornerbacks to throw at opposing passing games. The Browns have added T.J. Carrie and Terrance Mitchell at cornerback while also trading Jason McCourty to the Patriots. They also traded for former Packer Damarious Randall, although he’s currently expected to play safety in Cleveland.
Joe Thomas had not missed a down until last season, and while he will never know what it’s like to hold up a Lombardi Trophy, he will one day wear a gold jacket in Canton.
Wednesday he announced he was walking away from the game he loved and played so well, ending his tenure as one of the best tackles in the NFL.
“This was an extremely difficult decision, but the right one for me and my family,” Thomas said in the release. “Playing in the NFL has taken a toll on my body and I can no longer physically compete at the level I need to.”
“From the moment I was drafted, the city embraced me in a way that I could never fully describe. I am proud to call Cleveland home. The loyalty and passion of Browns fans is unmatched and it was an honor to play in front of them from the past 11 years. I would like to thank all of the coaches, teammates, staff, fans and everyone who has shown me support throughout my career. Even though I will be hanging up my cleats, I will always be a Cleveland Brown.”
Thank you Cleveland!!! Thanks to the FANS who showed me what being a CLEVELANDER is all about; toughness, hard worker, dedication, passion… It’s with pride that I can say I’m a CLEVELANDER and a Brown for life! https://t.co/SWNnnQ646S
It was a career sadly filled with too many losing seasons, but in the end he will go down as one of the best that played the game, no matter how many wins and losses the Browns had during that time.
April 26th, 2018 
Matt Loede 
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