CLEVELAND, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) – Baker Mayfield beat the odds, won the Heisman in 2017 and then became the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft in 2018.
Kyler Murray followed right behind him a year later to win the Heisman in 2018 and go No. 1 in 2019.
On Sunday in Arizona, the two former Oklahoma Sooners plan to find out who really is No. 1.
“This is real bragging rights,” Mayfield said.
This time a year ago, Murray was torn between two sports – baseball and football: MLB, or NFL.
While Murray was waffling back and forth as he wrapped up his Heisman season at Oklahoma, Mayfield burst onto the NFL scene to set the rookie touchdown pass record in just 13 starts and pull the Browns out of the worst stretch of losing in modern NFL history.
“I am obviously very happy for him,” Mayfield said. “I remember I was eating dinner with my family when he won the Heisman last year and just how excited I was for him. He deserves all of that, and it is going to be really fun to play against him.”
Life is a little different for both players these days.
Mayfield has struggled in his second season completing just 59.2% of his passes with 15 touchdowns and 16 interceptions. The Browns’ season now hangs in the balance despite the team winning four of their last five to climb to 6-7.
Arizona enters Sunday’s game 3-9-1 and losers of six straight but Murray has been keeping Browns head coach Freddie Kitchens up at night.
“I think any time the quarterback has the potential to pull down a third-and-4 or third-and-6 and get it with his feet, I think that’s a great attribute,” Kitchens said. “He could do that at any time. I think he’s seeing the field well. He’s brave from the standpoint he likes to fit footballs into tight windows and things like that. He kinda plays fearless and that’s some traits of great quarterbacks – smart but fearless and I think he does a good job of that.”
Murray hasn’t quite put up the numbers Mayfield did as a rookie but he’s having the better season as a quarterback. He’s completed 64.1% of his passes with 16 touchdowns and nine interceptions while averaging just under 6 yards per rush and scoring four touchdowns on the ground.
“Kyler is just a phenomenal athlete. He is one of a kind,” Mayfield, who helped talk Murray into choosing the NFL, said. “After being around him for a few years in practice watching him tear it up on scout team and then play, he is who he is.
“He is a special player. He is the only one ever to be drafted first round in baseball and football. There are very few athletes like him physically capable of what he is able to do.”
Mayfield and Murray bonded at Oklahoma.
While Mayfield started in 2016 and 2017, Murray redshirted his freshman year and served as Mayfield’s backup the next.
“Whenever you have a guy like that behind you, it is really going to push you so that is why I truly believe competition raises all levels around you,” Mayfield said. “I am thankful for that.”
Some would argue Mayfield paid it forward by paving the way for Murray.
Both players are undersized and don’t meet NFL norms for prototypical quarterbacks, but it could be argued that Mayfield’s success in Cleveland made it easier for the Cardinals to use the top pick on Murray a year later.
“I think our games are different. Just his arm talent alone is very special,” Mayfield said. “The things he is able to do when he throws the ball, it comes out different. When you see it in person, you will understand what I am talking about. Obviously, his speed is next level. He is very quick, and you try tackling him in a phone booth. He is a tough guy to defend.”
Arizona head coach Kliff Kingsbury, who coached Mayfield at Texas Tech in 2013, has built his offense around Murray in the same way Ravens head coach John Harbaugh retooled his offensive scheme for MVP candidate Lamar Jackson.
“I think what you see nowadays is there have been a bunch of guys break the mold and coaches call plays to the strengths of their players,” Mayfield said. “Whether it is the QB, the running backs or the receivers, you want to get guys in the best position to win so these guys that are more of the running quarterback or whatever label you want to put on it, they are able to throw but they are able to take advantage of numbers and their athleticism.
“Kliff has done a good job of implementing the things Kyler is good at and the things he has been doing his whole career, and you are seeing that success offensively.”
Mayfield’s respect for Murray is evident but he’ll set that aside for a few hours in the desert.
