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NFL Draft Grades 2018: Cleveland Browns select Baker Mayfield at No. 1

By Stephen Forsha

PASADENA, CA - JANUARY 01: Baker Mayfield #6 of the Oklahoma Sooners runs the ball down field in the 2018 College Football Playoff Semifinal Game against the Georgia Bulldogs at the Rose Bowl Game presented by Northwestern Mutual at the Rose Bowl on January 1, 2018 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
PASADENA, CA - JANUARY 01: Baker Mayfield #6 of the Oklahoma Sooners runs the ball down field in the 2018 College Football Playoff Semifinal Game against the Georgia Bulldogs at the Rose Bowl Game presented by Northwestern Mutual at the Rose Bowl on January 1, 2018 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /
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The Cleveland Browns hopefully found their franchise quarterback with the first selection of the 2018 NFL Draft, taking Baker Mayfield out of Oklahoma.

The Cleveland Browns are hoping they have finally found the franchise quarterback they’ve been searching for the past 20 years as they selected Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield with the No. 1 overall selection of the 2018 NFL Draft.

Mayfield is a surprise for the Browns in selecting him at No. 1 overall, but even with Cleveland passing on the likes of other quarterbacks like Sam Darnold of Southern California, Josh Allen of Wyoming and even Josh Rosen of UCLA, they did draft a solid quarterback who will make things exciting for the Dawg Pound in 2018.

One aspect about Mayfield that needs to stop as he joins the Browns is the comparison to former Browns first-round pick Johnny Manziel. Mayfield is a better all-around football player and is entering a better situation, even with the Browns coming off an 0-16 season and being winners of just one of their past 35 games.

Sure, Mayfield is a fiery quarterback, and he may have had actions on the field that have turned some off, but for a franchise that has some talented players in various positions, the Browns need a player who will bring some intensity to the offensive side of the ball, which in turn will bring intensity to the defense.

Even with the Browns being winless last season, some of the offensive talent on the depth chart includes Josh Gordon and Corey Coleman. If those two wide receivers can stay on the field with Mayfield throwing them the football — plus they have Carlos Hyde and Duke Johnson rushing the football — it should be safe to say a Mayfield-led Browns team won’t go winless during the 2018 season.

While at Oklahoma last season, Mayfield completed 70.5 percent of his passes in 14 games, throwing for 4,627 yards and 43 touchdowns. Mayfield averaged 11.5 yards per attempt and threw just six interceptions. For his four-year career at Oklahoma, Mayfield completed 68.5 percent of his passes, threw for 14,607 yards and 131 touchdowns, and in each of his four years Mayfield never compiled double-digit interceptions in a single season.

The Browns might not have selected the best overall quarterback in the draft, according to some experts, but they did select a quarterback who will make plays with both his arms and his legs. And some have underrated Mayfield all throughout this draft process.

Next: NFL Draft 2018: Instant grades

Cleveland is a better team right now than they were yesterday following this pick, and it will be a do-or-die year for the Browns’ coaching staff as they must win now with Mayfield. Don’t be surprised if he is a starter on day one over Tyrod Taylor.

Grade: B+

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