The Cleveland Browns made Baker Mayfield the first overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. Apparently, Mayfield didn’t expect that to become his landing spot. The New England Patriots were keen on Mayfield. The former Oklahoma quarterback was convinced the Patriots were trading up for him with the 2nd pick in the draft. Cleveland obviously did not allow that to happen selecting him first.
ESPN’s Mina Kimes recently spoke with Mayfield. Here’s what he had to say:
“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.)”
I’m still not buying this. The Patriots may have liked him. I could see the comparison to Jimmy Garoppolo. Still, the Giants were locked in on Saquon Barkley. They wanted him so bad. You really think that buffoon Dave Gettleman was going to trade down with the Patriots? No, he was going to select a running back. That was his guy.
I do remember the reports on draft day that the Browns were deciding between Josh Allen and Baker Mayfield. Can you imagine the alternate universe there? Does Mayfield wind up with the Jets if the Browns go Josh Allen? It’s impossible to know the butterfly effect.
For what it’s worth. Mayfield didn’t want to play in New England. He wanted to play right away and was looking forward to the challenge of saving the Browns. How would Tom Brady have reacted to this? Could you imagine Brady celebrating the Super Bowl this year with Mayfield as his backup? Wow.
“I wanted to come here and play and be the one to change it right away,” Mayfield told Kimes.
