Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfieldshrugged off comparisons to Johnny Manziel on Tuesday, suggesting to reporters that "everybody wants to portray the bad boy ... stuff."
Well, not everybody, Baker. NFL Network analyst Charley Casserly offered a different comparison on Wednesday, one more to Mayfield's liking.
"He's better than [Jared] Goff coming out of college. That's Baker Mayfield," Casserly said on NFL Network. "And [Patrick] Mahomes, same system a little bit. He's got more discipline than Mahomes. Mahomes has a better arm but this guy can be successful too in the right system."
Casserly also likes Mayfield's quick feet and "an arm that's good enough to make all the throws."
Goff was selected first overall out of Cal by the Los Angeles Rams in the 2016 draft. Mahomes was scooped up out of Texas Tech by the Kansas City Chiefs with the 10th pick in 2017. Neither of them won or were finalists for the Heisman Trophy. Mayfield is a two-time finalist and won the trophy this season.
NFL scouts see Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson and Saints quarterback Drew Bress as more apt comparisons to Mayfield than Manziel, based on size and on-field ability. Mayfield measured 6-feet 3/8 and 216 pounds on Wednesday, well below Goff's larger frame.
As Casserly said, "Get outta here [with the Manziel comparisons]! ... This guy's a player. He don't have half the problems Manziel had, off the field."
That settles it.
