Are They Starting the Draft Again 2018
The 2018 NFL Draft had 5 quarterbacks go in the first round. The 2021 NFL playoffs saw iii of them help their teams become to the divisional circular.
The Browns' Baker Mayfield (No. 1 overall), the Bills' Josh Allen (No. 7 overall) and the Ravens' Lamar Jackson (No. 32) can alll celebrate and wait for more with initial playoff wins nether their belts. Meanwhile, Sam Darnold (No. 3) already is on the verge of being replaced by the Jets and Josh Rosen (No. ten) was given up on quickly by the Cardinals, since bouncing around with the Dolphins, Buccaneers and 49ers.
Jackson has won NFL MVP already and at present Allen has had an MVP-caliber flavour, too. Mayfield hasn't earned individual accolades still, but more than important, he finally has given the Browns a franchise QB solution and keen on-field leader.
Here'south a look at the selection process that led to all three teams making the smartest quarterback decisions almost three years ago:
More: Why did the Jets draft Sam Darnold?
Why the Browns drafted Baker Mayfield
The Browns, for most of the months leading upwardly to the 2018 draft after the 2017 season, were tied to taking Darnold No. 1 overall from USC. Just throughout the process, Darnold didn't do anything to stamp his status as the all-time QB in a top-heavey class, simply checking most of the traditional NFL passing boxes but not having standout qualities, lacking a practiced big-game resume and "information technology" factor.
Both on and off the field, outside of the Browns' building, at that place was also unfair, lazy comparison of Mayfield to Johnny Manziel, the Browns' faiiled outset-round pick from the 2014 draft. Mayfield had fought more adversity to develop into a Heisman Trophy-winning QB at Oklahoma. He was a much smarter quarterback in college and his "attitude" was more based on his peppery, competitive nature.
With Mayfield separating from Darnold in the Browns' minds, the real decision came down to Mayfield vs. Allen. John Dorsey, and so the Browns GM, and Alonzo HIghsmith, and so the Browns' vice president of player personnel, were more than comfortable with Mayfield'south accuracy and efficiency than Allen, who had the bigger arm but bigger question mark related to downfield completion percentage and impact brusk-to-intermediate passes.
More than: The best of Baker Mayfield's pop culture quotes, ranked
Mayfield came from the amend offensive organisation and had the bigger-schoolhouse pedigree, which for the Browns, seemed to limit his bust factor should they put him with the coaching and correct personnel.
Mayfield looked like a shaky choice at times in his start two seasons but hindsight says he did his best to deliver for Hue Jackson and Freddie Ktichens, who weren't adept at catering the offense to his strengths. Then came Kevin Stefanski, understanding that Mayfield needed support from the offensive line and running game to take advantage of his play-action and bootleg passing skills.
The Browns had some involvement in Lamar Jackson, just simply like other teams that passed on Jackson, weren't sure if Jackson could exist the same kind of consummate quarterback. Cleveland needed the right alloy of authentic passer and blastoff personality, and Mayfield was exactly that. Three seasons later on, they have been rewarded with a playoff trip with Mayfield just starting a long winning relationship with Stefanski.
Why the Bills drafted Josh Allen
For Allen, with his neat size (six-5, 237 pounds), arm and athleticism, there were two big pre-draft concerns. The first was, despite the power to make every throw and impress with the deep ball, Allen was often wildly inaccurate at Wyoming, completing only 56 percent of his passes. The 2d was playing against a lower level of competition merely still not dominating equally much as his concrete talent said he should have.
The Bills, however, focused on the positives, helped past the background of charabanc Sean McDermott and general manager Brandon Beane. Both had been function of the Panthers' organisation and experienced the ascension of Cam Newton, the No. ane overall selection in 2011. Allen's arm strength also had been likened to Patrick Mahomes, whom the Chiefs took No. 10 overall in 2017.
There were the MVP elements of Newton and Mahomes, but one more highly drafted QB factored into the mix — Carson Wentz. The Eagles' No. 2 overall pick in 2016 had a simliar college pedigree from North Dakota State. The fact that Allen was favorable blended of all three made the option more comfortable for Beane and McDermott.
The Bills, once Mayfield and Darnold were gone in the tiptop three, knew the Browns, picking a second time, wouldn't take a QB at No. 4. The Broncos, who were picking No. 5, liked some of Allen's attributes, but passed and went for edge laissez passer rusher Bradley Chubb. The Colts, with Andrew Luck, were out on Allen at No. 6. The 49ers, after the Jimmy Garoppolo merchandise, were out at No. 8. The Bears, after taking Mitchell Trubisky No. 2 overall the previous year, were out at No. 9.
MORE: How Josh Allen rose from junior college, Wyoming to NFL MVP contender
The Cardinals, however, were looming at No. x, and the Bills were originally picking at No. 12. The Buccaneers, with 2015 No. 1 overall pick Jameis Winston, were glad to merchandise down five spots from No. 7 to No. 12. The Bills were willing to part with 2 second-rounders (No. 53, No. 56) because they believed in Allen that much.
The big three for the Jets in the 2018 draft always came down to Mayfield, Darnold and Rosen in that gild. The Browns liked Allen but warmed to Mayfield more than. The Giants had some involvement in Allen, too, but they locked into running back Saquon Barkley. Darnold was sure to be a elevation-iii pick with none of those teams trading down and the Bills accustomed he wouldn't be bachelor at No. 12.
The Cardinals, however, actually wanted Allen and the Bills had to be somewhat aggressive to grab him post Mayfield and Darnold. He was the guy they really wanted to build effectually to solve their long, post-Jim Kelly franchise QB woes. To their credit, they have done just that, with their offensive line, broad receiver, running back and tight end overhauls since taking him. Allen at present is being lifted by the ideal supporting cast of protection and skill players.
Darnold was the Jets' choice with then full general manager Mike Maccagnan and then coach Todd Bowles, before Adam Gase was hired to replace Bowles in 2019. eventually winning a brusque power struggle with Maccagnan. According to the New York Daily News, Gase, so Dolphins coach, preferred Allen to Darnold in the 2018 typhoon. That might explain a piddling why Gase didn't go the best out of Darnold and Darnold didn't look adept nether Gase, contributing to Gase's firing after the 2020 season. The Bills and so were smart to also get ahead of No. eleven-picking Dolphins and Gase, also to get Allen.
Why the Ravens drafted Lamar Jackson
The Browns became definitive on Mayfield and the Bills were all nearly Allen. In relation to them, the Jets settled for Darnold. vs. being actually excited that he was their guy, while Jackson was never actually on the Jets' radar.
Given the Jets were desperate to be inside the box with Darnold, there was no way they would have been willing to adapt their offense to Jackson with and so offensive coordinator Jeremy Bates. Looking back, the fact that Jets never took Jackson seriously as a pro prospect since his dynamic rise at Louisville is more than a reflection on their dysfunction than his talent.
As for the Bills taking Jackson over Allen, earlier the draft in 2018, Jackson told reporters he didn't have a "single meeting" with Buffalo officials. With Jackson hailing from South Florida, the Dolphins had one reason to think about him at No. 12. Simply again, Gase, even with his Tim Tebow experience in Denver, wasn't about to drastically alter his offensive ways again for Jackson in Miami, where he was charabanc then.
MORE: How Ravens' Lamar Jackson got his MVP groove dorsum for the NFL playoffs
Once Jackson got past the bad, needy teams, there was a idea that a skilful team with an established veteran QB would stash Jackson backside their starter. The top of that list were the Saints and Packers, who ended upward picking No. fourteen and No. 18.
The Ravens passed on Jackson at No. 25 overall, taking tight end Hayden Hurst (since traded to the Falcons) instead. Once the Steelers (No. 28) and Patriots (No. 31) didn't jump on Jackson, information technology fabricated sense for the Ravens to trade dorsum into No. 32 ahead of the second round to snag him before several other teams would consider a run at him.
With Joe Flacco hitting his peak during the Ravens' Super Bowl 48 run later the 2012 season, they finally found the platonic time to make the transition, knowing they had Greg Roman, known for getting the best out of dual-threat QBs in the NFL, on their offensive staff. Although teams such every bit the Patriots and Cardinals since as well have been OK tailoring their criminal offense around their quarterbacks' running ability, the Ravens were all-time equipped to practise so then, making them the perfect fit to maximize Jackson's unique skill gear up.
Based on what nosotros know now, Mayfield to the Browns, Allen to the Bills and Jackson to the Ravens were all meant to exist. It'due south hard to see any other combination of team and quarterback involving those three picks working out so well because Cleveland, Buffalo and Baltimore all die a nifty task tailoring offenses to their unique able-bodied and passing talents.
Source: https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nfl/news/nfl-draft-2018-baker-mayfield-josh-allen-lamar-jackson/1co5qu4kti4qz1w9ix5t91n5lw
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