As with any draft, there are bound to be a number of players selected early on that will not quite pan out for their respective teams. Perhaps the biggest high-risk, high-reward prospect is Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield.
Despite being one of the most electrifying players in college football, Mayfield has drawn some unfavorable comparisons. Even former NFL quarterback Ryan Leaf said during an appearance on 92.3 The Fan in Cleveland that he sees a lot of his former self in the young gunslinger:
“A good litmus test for me is always when I listen to radio interviews or TV interviews, I tend to close my eyes and just listen to the voice, and hear the answer. I always say, ‘If it sounds like the 1998 version of Ryan Leaf, there’s definitely a red flag that needs to be raised there,” Leaf said.
The former second overall pick in the 1998 NFL Draft made his mark in history as arguably the biggest bust of all time. That said, any comparison to Leaf certainly does not do any favors for Mayfield's draft stock. However, there is still good reason for teams to proceed with caution on the former Heisman Trophy winner.
Mayfield's boisterous personality has landed him in some hot water both on and off the field. As a result, he has been dubbed by some as the second coming of Johnny Manziel, who has become the NFL's most notable recent bust.
However, teams like the Cleveland Browns are enamored with his competitive nature and feel he provides just the kind of spark the franchise needs to reverse its fortunes. Regardless, it would still be wise for them to do their due diligence on Mayfield before committing to using an early pick for his services.
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