In the weeks leading up to the 2018 NFL Draft, there wasn't much chatter around the possibility that former Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield was in the running to be the first overall pick by the Cleveland Browns. However, that conversation had been ongoing behind closed doors with management being in on him for quite some time ahead of the draft.
It was a discussion that the Browns had growingly lean towards with the top overall pick. According to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com, head coach Hue Jackson stated that he wasn't sold on Mayfield until a private workout with the team back on March 22.
It wasn't until he flew to Oklahoma with John Dorsey, Todd Haley and others that he saw the light on the Heisman Trophy winner, whom the Browns drafted No. 1 on Thursday night.
“Working him out and spending that time in Norman and watching him with his teammates and how he throws the football (convinced me),” he said. “The football jumps off his arm. He has a quick arm, he's very accurate with the ball, and from there, then obviously spending some more time when he came here.”
This was an opportunity for the Browns to get a first-hand view of what Mayfield had to bring to the table with his throwing ability. He had done more than enough to impress the team's management and coaching staff behind his accuracy and strong arm throwing the ball.
Mayfield will now have a chance to fully ingrain himself with the franchise as the long-term answer under center. He likely won't be asked to start right out of the gate to his rookie campaign, but a chance to play in 2018 could very well present itself depending on how Tyrod Taylor performs.
The Browns have much invested in him to become the answer under center that the franchise has been long searching to find. Only time will tell if he was the right selection at the first overall pick in this year's draft.
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