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Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold
The 2018 draft class may go down as one of the best in NFL history when all is said and done. However, there is currently only one Super Bowl champions amongst them: Seahawks QB Sam Darnold. While the way he got there was circuitous, he eventually secured the class’ first win in the big game. The No. 1 pick in that draft, Bucs QB Baker Mayfield, was once teammates with Darnold in Carolina, and was quick to heap praise on him.
“Just proud of him. I think it’s not the evolution of Sam. It’s just him being in the right situation. The unwavering confidence, no matter what the situation he’s been in, and being able to come out stronger on the other side,” Mayfield said of Sam Darnold’s career resurgence.
For both quarterbacks, they have taken somewhat similar paths to where they are today. Baker Mayfield has bounced around just as many teams as Darnold, whether it be as the No.1 pick in the class with Cleveland, he and Darnold both in Carolina, to his short, career-reviving stint with the Los Angeles Rams, to now with the Bucs.
Parallel Paths From Draft Day to Redemption
Sam Darnold himself heaped praise on Baker Mayfield before the Bucs and Seahawks played against each other in Week 5, ironically one of Seattle‘s only losses all season long. “Going back to the draft, and really that year in Carolina that we spent together, that was a special year just being able to spend it with Bake and that entire quarterback room that we had,” Darnold said of his time with Baker.
Now, both of them have found the success they have been searching for in the league. In his first three seasons as a Buccaneer, Mayfield has compiled a 27-24 record, made two Pro Bowls, finished eleventh in NFL MVP voting one year, and also finished third in the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year race one year as well.
“It’s quick,” Mayfield told talkSPORT, when asked if NFL teams rush judgement on young QBs.”Quarterback’s a tough spot to play, so you’ve got to find the right situation.”
Some could say that both QBs were rushed into less than ideal situations, with Sam Darnold struggling early in his career with the Jets and Mayfield’s seemingly constant rift with the Browns. Still, for both of them to find new homes and turn all of the criticism against them into success has to feel good.
Diverging Seasons and a Changing Hierarchy
Both quarterbacks however, seemingly went in opposite directions with their respective teams this season. While Darnold and his Seahawks would only lose one other game after the Bucs loss, Baker Mayfield floundered the rest of the season. After a 6-1 start, injuries and less than stellar QB play and defensive mistakes led them to finish 8-9 and out of the playoff picture.
For now, Sam Darnold is the top dog amongst the former teammates, and also, that legendary draft class. Whether Baker can join him or not remains to be seen.
Christopher Sheppard Christopher Sheppard is a passionate and knowledgeable sports journalist based in Englewood, NJ pursuing a role in the sports media industry. He covers the NFL for Heavy Sports, focusing on the Dolphins, Chargers, and Buccanneers. More about Christopher Sheppard
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