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Big Man Baker's growth spurt didn't hurt his confidence

Actually, Baker Mayfield has grown in the five weeks since the Senior Bowl. His NFL Combine measurement added a quarter inch so that he can now fairly round up to 6-foot-1.
Baker Mayfield at the NFL Combine

Maybe the Broncos shouldn’t try to upgrade their quarterback position.

Maybe they should shorten it.

Actually, Baker Mayfield has grown in the five weeks since the Senior Bowl. His NFL Combine measurement added a quarter inch so that he can now fairly round up to 6-foot-1.

“It doesn’t matter,’’ Mayfield said here Friday during his well-attended NFL Combine press conference. “You see guys like Tyrod Taylor, (Drew) Brees, Russell Wilson, they’ve proven that it doesn’t matter. If you want to say anything else, I’ve got three years of tape you can watch.’’

Boy, that Baker Mayfield is cocky.

“I don’t think it’s cocky,’’ said the Oklahoma Sooner and Heisman Trophy winner. “It’s not cocky, it’s just confidence.’’

OK, fine. If this is confidence, he’s straddling the edge of cocky.

He was asked about getting drafted by the 0-16 Cleveland Browns.

“If anybody’s going to turn that franchise around it would be me,’’ he said.

What separates Mayfield from the others?

“Accuracy,’’ he said. “I’m the most accurate quarterback in this draft by far.’’

Hey now. It’s not just what he said, but how he said. So matter-of-factly as if greatness is no big whup. What does he hope to prove here at the Combine?

“Just showing that I’m ready from Day 1 to be a franchise guy,’’ he said.

He said he wasn’t always so confident.

“I used to have the mindset of worrying about everybody else’s opinions, he said. “Trying to please everybody, that’s not going to happen. The most important people to please are my inner circle, those I’m working for.’’

Extremely confident, but also smart. He has some character concerns stemming from a public intoxication charge a year ago and some arrogant in-game antics against Kansas and Ohio State.

He will no doubt be asked about those incidents tonight, when he interviews formally with nine teams, including the Broncos.

“They’re investing a lot of money in these guys they’re drafting so they’re asking questions,’’ Mayfield said. “This whole process is about finding out what’s wrong with you. Pointing out flaws, seeing if they can look past them, seeing if they can work with it. So, any question they ask is fair game.’’

Imagine a quarterback room at UCHealth Training Center with Mayfield and Chad Kelly, another quarterback with fire. The personality of the Broncos’ locker room wouldn’t be lacking in confidence.

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