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2018 NFL Draft: Is the chip on Baker Mayfield’s shoulder a strength or a concern?

By Maxwell Ogden

PASADENA, CA - JANUARY 01: Baker Mayfield #6 of the Oklahoma Sooners celebrates after throwing a 13-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter against the Georgia Bulldogs 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 Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
PASADENA, CA - JANUARY 01: Baker Mayfield #6 of the Oklahoma Sooners celebrates after throwing a 13-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter against the Georgia Bulldogs 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 Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) /
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Baker Mayfield was slighted before he became a star. Is the chip on his shoulder a strength or a concern as the 2018 NFL Draft approaches?

Over the course of the past five years, few players have done more to improve their NFL Draft stock than Baker Mayfield. Mayfield has traveled the long road to success as a walk-on true freshman to a Heisman Trophy winning quarterback as a fifth-year senior.

While Mayfield has certainly improved his draft stock, there’s one concern that continues to rear its head: The chip on his shoulder.

Mayfield was an invigorating force on the field, but he came under fire for the way he chose to express his emotions. He was an unapologetic competitor who often crossed unspoken lines with the manner in which he taunted his opponents.

According to Tom Pelissero of NFL.com, an NFC scout believes that the chip on Mayfield’s shoulder could be problematic, but not in the way most expect it to be.

"“It really is just part of what makes [Mayfield] competitive on the field with that chip on his shoulder,” another NFC scout said. “That chip is going to carry over a little bit off the field, so you just have to know how to deal with him. But it’s not like I’m worried about drugs and womanizing and running the streets all hours of the night and not being prepared. This kid loves football.”"

In other words: Mayfield isn’t in Johnny Manziel territory, but there are still concerns that he’s going to be asked to address during the interview process.

Mayfield certainly has a reason to play with a grudge. He was a walk-on at Texas Tech as a true freshman. Despite winning the starting quarterback job, Mayfield told Jake Trotter of ESPN in a 2014 interview that the university wouldn’t be able to provide him with a scholarship for the spring semester.

Despite transferring to the University of Oklahoma without a preexisting scholarship, Mayfield was forced to sit for a full season and lose a year of eligibility.

It wasn’t until June of 2016 that the rule was changed, which thus enabled him to play what was essentially his senior season in 2017.

Furthermore, even after throwing 76 touchdowns to 15 interceptions between the 2015 and 2016 campaigns, Mayfield was still labeled as a spread offense specialist who had no place in the NFL.

In 2017, Mayfield led Oklahoma to the College Football Playoff and won the Heisman Trophy—and yet, he’s still facing questions about his size and leadership ability. Thus, it comes as no surprise that he feels as though he’s in an uphill battle against football society.

If Mayfield is going to take the final step towards silencing his critics, however, some scouts and general managers will ask him to change the way he behaves in the heat of the moment.

Must Read: The big question facing Lamar Jackson at the 2018 NFL Draft

The question is: Will Baker Mayfield check the necessary boxes to solidify his place as a top 10 prospect in the 2018 NFL Draft?

Whether or not he does, he’s certainly earned his place as a household name.

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