Browns bank on Baker
QBs go quickly; La Cueva’s Denton announces the Broncos’ selection
ARLINGTON, Texas — Quarterback desperation means NFL teams can’t pass on taking a passer — even a flawed one — in the draft.
The Browns, Jets, Bills and Cardinals heeded that notion Thursday night, even as more highly rated players at other positions remained on the board.
Heisman Trophy winner Baker Mayfield became Cleveland’s latest attempt to find its franchise quarterback. Sam Darnold of Southern California is trying to revive the Jets, while in upstate New York — where the Bills gave up on Tyrod Taylor — the future belongs to Wyoming’s Josh Allen. Just after Buffalo traded up to grab Allen, Arizona moved up to get UCLA’s Josh Rosen, a potential replacement for the retired Carson Palmer.
Four quarterbacks in the first 10 selections. Never mind that the best players were considered Penn State running back Saquon Barkley (second overall to the Giants) and North Carolina State defensive end Bradley Chubb (fifth to Denver). The last pick of the first round was a fifth quarterback: 2016 Heisman winner Lamar Jackson, chosen by Baltimore.
La Cueva High junior Austin Denton flawlessly announced the Broncos’ pick at No. 5. Denton, a busy local broadcaster of high school sports with 101.7 FM and a big Broncos fan, got the chance though the collaboration of the league, the Broncos and St. Jude Children’s Hospital. Denton is a childhood cancer survivor who returns to the hospital annually for
follow-ups.
Denver went defense. But in today’s NFL, it’s all about the QBs, even though none of these is considered a sure success.
“They all had something, a knock on (them),” Bills general manager Brandon Beane said. “We just think (Allen’s) makeup is going to help him work on his flaws. That’ll be part of our job here to accentuate his strengths.”
Same deal in Cleveland, the Meadowlands and the desert.
The Browns’ nearly twodecade search for that quarterback led them to Mayfield. Until the last few days, the Oklahoma product was considered a longshot to be the top pick. He goes from a former walk-on to No. 1 overall. Mayfield is the first Heisman recipient taken first in the following draft since Cam Newton went to Carolina in 2010.
Mayfield, who could sit behind the newly acquired Taylor, joins a team that went 0-16 in 2017.
“I’m going to come in with the mindset to compete and the hunger to learn” from Taylor.
The Browns, who haven’t had a top-flight quarterback since returning to the league in 1999, were sold on his leadership skills and creativity inside the pocket and outside.
“With Baker Mayfield, we have a guy who loves the game of football, who is an ultra competitor, is revered by his teammates and anybody who has ever been around him,” Browns GM John Dorsey said. “He’s a guy that has earned everything he has ever had since high school to college and now up here. He is a winner, he’s competitive.”
He was not at AT&T Stadium, leaving Commissioner Roger Goodell on stage, hearing cheers cascade throughout the building after announcing the Browns’ choice. It was one of the few times Goodell heard cheers.
Goodell is despised in Dallas after he ruled that Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott should be suspended for six games last season for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy.
More booing accompanied the next pick, but not for Goodell: Dallas’ archrival the New York Giants chose Barkley, considered the best talent in this year’s class. It capped quite a few days for Barkley, whose girlfriend gave birth to a baby girl earlier this week.
Darnold, pegged by many to be the top pick for months, went third to the other New York team. The Jets had traded with Indianapolis, going from sixth to third.
Like Mayfield, Darnold might sit behind a veteran, Josh McCown.
Buffalo traded up with Tampa Bay to get Allen at No. 7. Allen is considered the passer with the most upside.
“Well, we’re going to find out in a few years if this class will pan out,” Allen said. “I definitely think it will. I want the most success for these guys, except when they’re playing me.”
Although Allen played against smaller schools and had issues with completion percentage, his arm strength, size (6-foot-5, 225 pounds) and leadership skills won over the Bills. Their hope is he becomes the next Jim Kelly, a Hall of Famer from the renowned 1983 class that had six first-round quarterbacks.
“He can make all the throws and all that type of stuff,” Bills coach Sean McDermott said of Allen. “Certainly, as we know, no one’s perfect. If you take the right approach, the right attitude, you can get a chance to improve the right areas.”
Allen was one of three firstrounders coming from Mountain West Conference schools.
The host Cowboys took Leighton Vander Esch of Boise State with the 19th pick
“It made me speechless,” Vander Esch said. “It’s the craziest moment of my life so far.”
The Seattle Seahawks selected Rashaad Penny from San Diego State at No. 27. He led the nation in rushing yards last season.
National champion Alabama had four first-rounders. There were 22 underclassmen selected, with the Southeastern Conference having 10 players chosen. There were 15 on defense and 17 on offense — with the five QBs matching the 1999 haul and one short of the first round in 1983 that produced Hall of Famers Kelly, Dan Marino and John Elway.