With the NFL Draft a little under two weeks away, the New York Jets and the rest of the NFL are looking at their futures as a football team. This draft is headlined by the quarterback class, and especially four quarterbacks who are looked at as top-end talent in this draft. Those four would be Sam Darnold, Josh Rosen, Josh Allen, and Baker Mayfield.
With the Jets making the move with the Colts to get up to the third overall pick, they are guaranteeing themselves that one of those four guys will be there. Each guy comes with their respective question marks, and not one of them is looked at as a sure thing. Mike Maccagnan, Todd Bowles and the rest of the Jets organization need to make sure that they get this pick right.
When Roger Goodell steps up to the podium and says “with the third pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, the New York Jets select,” Mayfield should be that guy that the Jets deem as their new franchise quarterback.
The New York Jets Should Target Baker Mayfield With the Third Overall Pick
The Will to Prove Everyone Wrong
Mayfield has been a guy that has always been overlooked. He started his career as a walk-on at Texas Tech before transferring to Oklahoma after his freshman season. From being a walk-on to a Heisman Trophy winner, Mayfield has done what no one ever did before by accomplishing that.
Through the process of the NFL Draft, from the Combine to the pre-draft interviews to the pro day to the private workouts and meetings, Mayfield has come with questions about his height, his attitude, and even if he is the next Johnny Manziel.
All of these questions regarding Mayfield and whether he can be the next star quarterback will only add fuel to his fire. He already proved people wrong in college and if Mayfield has anything to say about it, that will continue in the NFL.
The will to prove everyone wrong will come with a great work ethic and Mayfield will allow offensive coordinator Jeremy Bates to work with him to learn the offense and develop into a franchise quarterback.
The Presence of Josh McCown
Josh McCown re-signed with the Jets on a one-year deal this off-season. Even though he is a 38-year-old quarterback, he is a great asset to the franchise. His ability to teach the game of football to players would greatly help Mayfield in his first season with the Jets.
McCown is also known as a high character player, which will help Mayfield grow as a professional as he does have some character questions because of incidents on and off the field during his college career.
Mayfield Comes with a Swagger
The Jets locker room is full of young guys, especially Jamal Adams, who is always on Twitter hyping up the Jets and interacting with fans. This has led Adams to become a leader in the locker room, even though he is only a second-year player. Mayfield could be that kind of guy for the team as well.
Having that kind of guy on both sides of the ball can benefit the team and the tandem of Adams and Mayfield could be the faces of the franchise for a very long time if Mayfield is drafted by the Jets.
Overall
One thing to keep in mind is that the bright lights of New York can have a negative effect on players. Mayfield is used to being in the spotlight, which is exactly what he will experience in New York so that aspect of the Jets should not be a concern.
Mayfield has already been labeled as ‘Broadway Baker,’ which of course is a reference to Jets legend Joe Namath. There has been a lot of buzz lately connecting Mayfield to the Jets, especially after the NFL winter meetings last month. Whoever the Jets take at three has to be a hit, but if the Jets take Mayfield, it has a great chance of being a home run pick.
