For Heisman, it’s Baker Mayfield
University of Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield is the winner of the 83rd Heisman Trophy.
Mayfield was the clear favorite to win the Heisman, and became the first senior to take home the award since Ohio State’s Troy Smith in 2006. The hurdles in his future include winning the college championship and a possible NFL pick in the first round. The Sooners face Georgia in the College Football Playoff at the Rose Bowl on January 1.
Earlier in the week, Mayfield was named the AP Player of the Year, the fourth Sooner quarterback to win the award since it began in 1998. “Mayfield is a former walk-on who has led the No. 2 Sooners to the College Football Playoff, where they will play No. 3 Georgia in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1. Mayfield leads the nation in passer efficiency rating and has thrown for 4,340 yards and 41 touchdowns,” said the AP.
Mayfield, at 6’1” and 220 pounds is not the prototype NFL quarterback prospect, according to AP writer Ralph Russo. But Mayfield will have at least one, and maybe two, chances to impress NFL scouts during the playoffs. Going for him is being one of the most prolific passers in college football history.
"I'm going to have the same work ethic and mentality," Mayfield said Friday. "I think I've proven that size doesn't matter. Even if you had a 6-5 quarterback, you're not going to see over my left tackle. He's 6-8. I'm just excited to be able to play the game of football. Winning is fun, and something that I work hard to do. That should be accounted for more than any size, any measurement."
"I'm going to have the same work ethic and mentality," Mayfield told the AP. "I think I've proven that size doesn't matter. Even if you had a 6-5 quarterback, you're not going to see over my left tackle. He's 6-8. I'm just excited to be able to play the game of football. Winning is fun, and something that I work hard to do. That should be accounted for more than any size, any measurement."
Mayfield joins five other Sooner Heisman winners: Sam Bradford (2008), Jason White (2003), Billy Sims (1978), Steve Owens (1969) and Billy Vessels (1952).
OUDaily.com collected observations about Mayfield from several of them:
Steve Owens said, "I think he's such a great competitor just the way he plays football. His leadership and desire to compete and to win, I'm a big fan. He's the kind of player, if you have a player like that on your team, you want to follow him. He's a great player. His competitive nature is incredible.
Jason White agreed, saying, “Man, he's a guy that you want on your team. I would personally want to be on his team. His leadership skills, his competitiveness is through the roof. I don't think there's a player out there that has that, what he has right there. With that being said, he's one of the best to put a Sooner uniform on. And so, just to watch him compete is just amazing to me, because you can never count him out. He's always got an answer or he's going to give it everything he's got to come up with one. That's amazing to me. And so, like I said, one of the best players to put a Sooner uniform and excited to see how he finished out the rest of the year.”
Sam Bradford thought, “It’s been fun to just watch him and the way he plays. The energy he has each week. I enjoy tuning in and watching him play."
Copyright The Gayly – December 9, 2017 @ 8:02 p.m. CST.