Prior to being taken with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns, there had been plenty of speculation regarding where quarterback Baker Mayfield would land.

Mayfield had been pegged as perhaps the most polarizing player in the draft, and the Browns' decision had hardly been set in stone as far as he was concerned. According to ESPN's Mina Kimes, it seems he thought the New England Patriots would potentially trade up to No. 2 if the Browns passed on him:

Until the day of the draft, Mayfield wasn't sure the Browns would take him with the first overall pick. (For a while, he was convinced New England would trade up for him at No. 2.)

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Of course, Cleveland went ahead and made him the first choice in a quarterback-heavy class, and it was not long before he established himself as their franchise player moving forward. Regardless, the prospect of New England pulling the trigger on such a blockbuster deal is far too intriguing to ignore.

It is no secret that New England has long been trying to establish a legitimate successor to one day to quarterback Tom Brady's place under center. There would undoubtedly have been plenty of noise regarding the Patriots' plan for Mayfield as a long-term option while he rode the bench to a Super Bowl win in his rookie season.

Despite the perks that would have come with playing for the Patriots, it is safe to say that Mayfield is happy with how things worked out. He is now serving as the central force for a revamped Browns team that has generated more hype than any other team this offseason.