2018 NFL Draft: Roquan Smith, Baker Mayfield, others stand out

Baker Mayfield, Quarterback, Oklahoma

Baker Mayfield did everything he could this season to help Oklahoma win a National Championship, but when the game was on the line, Oklahoma inexplicably didn’t trust him to make throws or at least played way too conservatively.

After a barrage of scoring in the first half of this game that included Mayfield catching a touchdown pass…

…The Sooners went conservative in the second half, and allowed the Bulldogs back into the game, one in which they trailed by 17.

Oklahoma finally answered in this game when they started to allow Mayfield to take over again, but this was a game where he could have very well thrown 40-45 passes and taken complete control with his arm.

Instead, Mayfield was limited after the first half, where Oklahoma turned to its running game, and ultimately in two overtime periods, lost because of poor play-calling and poor execution offensively.

For me, nothing about this game changed how I feel about Mayfield as a prospect. He’s still a top five player in this draft to me, and up there with Sam Darnold as the best quarterback in the class.

If I were the general manager of an NFL team, I would have no issue taking him first overall.

You got to see much of what makes Mayfield so special in this game, with the touch on his deep ball, the ability to fit the ball into tight spaces, his competitive fire, the ability to run with the ball and escape pressure in the pocket, and even his pass catching ability.

The guy is just a natural football player, and he’s good at pretty much everything it seems like. You know he’s going to have a giant chip on his shoulder after losing this game, and I think NFL teams are going to fall in love with this kid over the course of offseason and getting to know him better personally.