Baker Mayfield might hear his name called early in the upcoming 2018 NFL Draft, but he won’t be walking up to the podium when he does.
The Oklahoma product told Newy Scruggs he’s opting not to attend the draft at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Baker Mayfield told me he will NOT be coming to Arlington’s AT&T Stadium for the @NFL draft in April. @daveyobrien #OU pic.twitter.com/SLFR6daRyX
— Newy Scruggs (@newyscruggs) February 20, 2018
This is an interesting, though not totally unconventional decision. We’ve seen other high-profile prospects opt to spend time with family and friends, rather than endure the spectacle that is the NFL draft.
It’s really not hard to blame those who do make this choice, especially a guy like Mayfield, who certainly could see a draft-day slide. There is no consensus about what he’ll become as a pro. His college stats and tape show us a guy who has Russell Wilson and Drew Brees capabilities. But his character issues — Mayfield is sometimes compared to Johnny Manziel — and short stature could certainly cause him to fall into late Round 1 or even into Round 2.
With that in mind, Mayfield is making a smart choice. He can enjoy his draft experience away from the green room and all the cameras that would be trained on him otherwise.