Baker Mayfield is hands down the best player in college football. No player is more electric than Mayfield, and no one is remotely close to challenging him for the Heisman Trophy. His Oklahoma Sooners are playing TCU for the Big XII Championship, and if they win that game, there is no doubt that Mayfield will be back into the College Football Playoff. I thought Oklahoma was going to win the title at the beginning of the season and with Alabama likely out of the picture, the National Championship is Mayfield's to lose. Despite the awards and hardware that Mayfield could end this season with, NFL teams are still wary of taking Mayfield early on in the draft.

Why teams are wary of Mayfield

Let's start with why teams are against drafting Baker Mayfield. The first things you are going to hear are his physical limitations, specifically his height and hand size. Mayfield isn't the flashy 6'4" and up quarterback. He's not going to jump off the page physically like Cam Newton and Matthew Stafford. Mayfield is 6'1" which is shorter than the ideal size of a quarterback but does height matter? Russel Wilson isn't even 6 feet tall, and he has a Super Bowl ring and is one of the best quarterbacks in the league. Drew Brees is 6'0" and he's on track to break every meaningful passing record within the next two or three years. Mayfield's hand size is also a laughable "knock" on him as a player.

His small hands are a cause for concern about ball security for some NFL managers. However, in his four years of college football, he has only fumbled five times. Furthermore, if Von Miller or J.J. Watt goes for the football, there is not a single quarterback in the league that's going to stop it from happening. If you don't believe me, watch the 2015 Super Bowl where Von Miller stripped the ball from Cam Newton (twice) like he was taking candy from a baby.

A final thing that might deter people from drafting Mayfield, is his character concerns, but more on that later.

Why Baker Mayfield is going to be successful

If you've ever watched Baker Mayfield play, you probably noticed his ability to extend plays with his legs and keep his eyes downfield. He has the improvisational skills of Aaron Rodgers, and his arm strength is good enough to make any throw on the field, including an accurate deep ball.

When you watch this play, you're going to see many examples as to why Baker Mayfield is a great quarterback. At the start of the play, he goes through every read progression while keeping his feet moving in case he needs to get out of the pocket. When Mayfield sees tight coverage, he begins to scramble and extend the play, but his eyes remain downfield surveying the field. When the defense starts to crash, he throws the ball downfield in a tight window for a touchdown. The last thing to see here is the throw itself. He throws it falling backward and over multiple defenders which shows just how strong of an arm Mayfield has.

Mayfield's greatest characteristic

The NFL Draft is a crapshoot, especially quarterbacks.

There's no doubt about it. So that begs the question: What separates the franchise quarterbacks from the busts? The answer is heart. Every great quarterback played with passion and love for the game. Look at how Peyton Manning prepared for every single game. Look at the competitive fire that Tom Brady plays with every game. Look at the drive that Aaron Rodgers has. Every great player has what's called the "It" factor. Baker Mayfield has that. Every single time the Sooners score he sprints down the field to celebrate with his teammates. He has fun playing the game, and that trait is infectious and a massive part of how hard a team plays. The effort he plays with is unmatched and teammates are going to gravitate towards that and follow his lead.

I have never seen a quarterback sprint 45 yards down the field to block for his runningback. Mayfield is something special. He is the most competitive player that's going to be available in the draft. Some people see his actions as a red flag but I see them as a player who wants to win no matter who he's playing. Mayfield is a two-time walk-on player. He walked on as a freshman at Texas Tech and then again at Oklahoma after transferring. His entire life he's been told he was too small or not good enough and it makes him play with a massive chip on his shoulder. That chip drives him and fuels the fire that he plays with and the scouts saying Mayfield won't make it in the NFL are only going to help him.
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