The story is that New England was putting up a deal to move up to #2 to take Mayfield, according to Mayfield's agent. The Jets were going to take him at #3. The Browns foiled all of these attempts by taking him #1.

 

Browns foiled Patriots' plan to trade up to 2 for Baker Mayfield, agent says | cleveland.com

 

Quite a few other NFL teams had Mayfield rated as the #1 QB. Mary Kay Cabot contacted 12 teams and asked about their QB rankings. Of the several who had responded to her request, 4 of them had Mayfield at the top. Some others have indicated to her that Mayfield was #1 on their board as well, totalling 6 teams among a very limited pool of teams she asked. The Rams were probably one team based on the comments of Coach Sean McVay.

 

Baker Mayfield was the top QB for at least half a dozen teams besides the Browns, sources say | cleveland.com

 

Only time on the field will tell if Cleveland was right to pick him #1.

Zero percent chance the Patriots were going to trade up to the #2 pick to take Mayfield.

I had not heard anything about the Patriots moving up to get Mayfield but I have heard a lot of talk since the draft that the majority of the NFL teams actually had Mayfield rated as the number one quarterback on their board. It sounds to me like a lot of the pre draft talk about other quarterbacks as the number one pick was more of a smokescreen than teams truly rankng other quarterbacks higher than Mayfield.

Boy that's gotta make Mayfield feel bad.

Zero percent chance the Patriots were going to trade up to the #2 pick to take Mayfield.

 

The Giants weren't moving that far down anyway.

The Giants weren't moving that far down anyway.

I would imagine it would have involved some sort of 3 team trade.

Mayfield absolutely should have been the number one QB on the majority of teams board. Mel Kiper, Todd McShay, etc. tend to go off things besides game film that teams have gone off in the past. Teams now are understanding that guys like Russell Wilson, Drew Brees, Dak Prescott, etc. can succeed at a high level in the NFL. Baker Mayfield was the best QB in college football this past year by a large margin IMO. If he was 6’3 or 6’4 he would have been talked about in the same sphere as some of the biggest can’t miss QB prospects ever i.e. Luck, Elway, Manning

Mayfield absolutely should have been the number one QB on the majority of teams board. Mel Kiper, Todd McShay, etc. tend to go off things besides game film that teams have gone off in the past. Teams now are understanding that guys like Russell Wilson, Drew Brees, Dak Prescott, etc. can succeed at a high level in the NFL. Baker Mayfield was the best QB in college football this past year by a large margin IMO. If he was 6’3 or 6’4 he would have been talked about in the same sphere as some of the biggest can’t miss QB prospects ever i.e. Luck, Elway, Manning

 

He still would have the knock of playing in the BIG 12. Til I see a QB succeed out there I'm staying away forever. If there was a QB to succeed I like Mayfield more than most.

I had not heard anything about the Patriots moving up to get Mayfield but I have heard a lot of talk since the draft that the majority of the NFL teams actually had Mayfield rated as the number one quarterback on their board. It sounds to me like a lot of the pre draft talk about other quarterbacks as the number one pick was more of a smokescreen than teams truly rankng other quarterbacks higher than Mayfield.

 

Do you really think that Belichick would ever tip his hand as to what they were thinking?

Do you really think that Belichick would ever tip his hand as to what they were thinking?

 

I am not talking about before the draft. I am saying I had not heard or read any media reports after the draft saying the Patriots were looking to move up.

Do you really think that Belichick would ever tip his hand as to what they were thinking?

 

No, Mayfield's agent, Jack Mills, said this. Read the article about this that I linked to in OP.

 

ESPN also has a video that confirms the story. ESPN Patriots reporter Mike Reiss was asked about it by Antonietta Collins. He reports the same info Cleveland reporter posted.

 

Pre-draft, New England wanted to have a look at Mayfield. The agent refused because he would never last until pick #32. Then NE acquired pick #23 also and called the agent back to convince them that they could put a package together to move up and they really wanted to see Mayfield. The agent agreed to a meeting but not a workout. Josh McDaniels flew to Austin to have a one-on-one with Mayfield. I guess we'll never really know if NE would have tried to make a deal and pick him because Cleveland did first, but it looks like there is corroboration of the story.

 

Cleveland Browns NFL - Browns News, Scores, Stats, Rumors & More - ESPN

I would imagine it would have involved some sort of 3 team trade.

 

That's hard to pull off with 10 minutes to negotiate. And the Giants wanted Barkley pretty bad. Gettleman basically said he wasn't interested in trade offers.

He still would have the knock of playing in the BIG 12. Til I see a QB succeed out there I'm staying away forever. If there was a QB to succeed I like Mayfield more than most.

The game film against Ohio State and Georgia is all I need to see. I get the knock on Big 12 QBs but I’m not sure it applies to Baker.

The game film against Ohio State and Georgia is all I need to see. I get the knock on Big 12 QBs but I’m not sure it applies to Baker.

 

Funny how it only takes two game tapes for you to believe in Mayfield, yet with three years of highlights from another QB and you still throw shade... I wonder why that is?

Funny how it only takes two game tapes for you to believe in Mayfield, yet with three years of highlights from another QB and you still throw shade... I wonder why that is?

I was speaking specifically in regard to the idea that Big 12 QBs can’t get it done against great defenses. I only throw shade against Lamar as an NFL QB because there is only one reference point of someone being successful in the league with his style of play.