Baker Mayfield is one of the premier quarterback prospects in the 2018 NFL draft, but some football fans, analysts and team personnel aren’t sold on the Heisman Trophy winner due to his size.
And he’s not happy about it.
During an interview with Steve Serby of the New York Post, Mayfield responded to a question asking what criticism bothers him most.
“It angers me when people say that height actually matters, because there’s guys in the NFL that prove it day in and day out that it doesn’t. If you can pick up and throw a ball, you can. And if you can win games, you can.”
Mayfield, who is 6-foot-0, could hardly have been a more accomplished quarterback at the college level. He twice set NCAA records for passing efficiency, led Oklahoma to three Big 12 championships and finished top-four in Heisman voting three times, winning the award in 2017.
Yet because he’s not three inches taller, there are concerns about his ability to succeed in the NFL. However, the simple truth is no data exists to support the idea shorter quarterbacks have a significantly less chance to perform well at the next level. It’s merely a matter of preference.
While reasonable criticisms of Mayfield do exist, his height is not one.