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Cleveland Browns: Comparing Baker Mayfield’s rookie year to other rookie QBs

By Mitch Zoloty

CLEVELAND, OH - SEPTEMBER 20: Baker Mayfield #6 of the Cleveland Browns runs off the field after a 21-17 win over the New York Jets at FirstEnergy Stadium on September 20, 2018 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
CLEVELAND, OH - SEPTEMBER 20: Baker Mayfield #6 of the Cleveland Browns runs off the field after a 21-17 win over the New York Jets at FirstEnergy Stadium on September 20, 2018 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /
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Rushing Touchdowns

"1. Josh Allen: 8 TDs 2. Lamar Jackson: 5 TDs 3. Sam Darnold: 1 TD 4. Baker Mayfield: 0 TDs (tie) 4. Josh Rosen: 0 TDs (tie)"

Winning football games is all about scoring touchdowns, and now in the NFL, there is a wave of quarterbacks being able to score with their legs. Lamar Jackson was known as the best rookie quarterback in this class to score with his legs. However, Josh Allen leads all rookies in rushing touchdowns.

Josh Allen stands at 6-5 and is around 240lbs. With size like that, its easier to score on scrambles. Allen and Lamar have the most rushing attempts, so its easy to understand why each of them stand at the top of this list. Its interesting that despite Josh Rosen having the second highest yards per carry, he has not scored a rushing touchdown yet.

It isn’t that big of a concern for Mayfield to not have a rushing touchdown yet. Running the ball as a quarterback has some serious risk for injury and usually isn’t sustainable for long careers.

Michael Vick was known as a great NFL rushing quarterback. However, in his 13 year NFL career he only played every game in a season once. The coincidental thing is, that one season is also the year that Mike Vick rushed for over 1,000 yards.

Final analysis (average ranking)

"1. Baker Mayfield: 2.07 avg  2. Lamar Jackson: 2.53 avg 3. Sam Darnold: 3.13 avg 4. Josh Allen: 3.2 avg 5. Josh Rosen: 3.93 avg"

Baker Mayfield led this comparison when we did this halfway though the season, and did it now. Lamar Jackson is the biggest surprise here. Even when taking out the rushing stats Lamar Jackson still ranks second. Without the rushing stats, the rankings stay the same.

Baker has been by far the best rookie quarterback when looking at the statistics this season, and this comparison shows it. He should win offensive rookie of the year and should have a great NFL career by the time he retires.

Lamar Jackson has pulled himself away from the pack, showing serious promise in the NFL. Sam Darnold has shown some promise so far in his NFL career, and Josh Allen has been fun to watch when he’s performing well. Josh Rosen had a rough rookie year, but his supporting cast was nothing like the other rookies in the NFL.

Next. 7-Round Mock Draft following Week 17. dark

This draft class of rookie quarterbacks could go down as one of the greatest of all time. For a Browns quarterback to emerge as the early leader of this group is incredible. Baker looks like, and statistically is, the best quarterback in this rookie class.

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