Can Cleveland Browns QB Baker Mayfield be the best No. 6 to ever play in the NFL?

OAKLAND, CA - SEPTEMBER 30: Baker Mayfield #6 of the Cleveland Browns stands on the sideline before their game against the Oakland Raiders at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on September 30, 2018 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
OAKLAND, CA - SEPTEMBER 30: Baker Mayfield #6 of the Cleveland Browns stands on the sideline before their game against the Oakland Raiders at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on September 30, 2018 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /
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Baker Mayfield Cleveland Browns
CLEVELAND, OH – DECEMBER 23: Baker Mayfield #6 of the Cleveland Browns looks to pass during the first quarter against the Cincinnati Bengals at FirstEnergy Stadium on December 23, 2018 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images) /

What makes No. 6 special

Baker Mayfield’s skills as a thrower of the football are undeniable. If you had to pick his greatest skill as a quarterback, you would have to go with his accuracy. His ball placement at this stage of his career is almost unheard of. To do it on air is one thing, but Mayfield’s ability to be deadly accurate when the bullets are flying is quite another.

When referring to a quarterback’s “arm talent” you’ll often hear phrases like “he can make every throw on the field”. Well for sake of sounding redundant, yes, yes he can. Although Mayfield’s arm strength is tremendous, arm strength alone is not enough. Not all throws require a herculean effort. Sometimes the correct throw requires finesse.

The ability to drop a football in a bucket from 30 yards out is a skill some of the strongest armed quarterbacks do not possess. Mayfield is among the elite few who can do either. He can drop it over a linebacker’s outstretched arms, or he can squeeze it into windows that are almost unperceivable to the human eye.

The most underrated facet of Mayfield’s game is his mobility. The goal will always be to win from within the pocket, but good defensive teams will often not afford you that luxury. Mayfield’s ability to climb the pocket and find escape lanes to scramble, both left and right, while keeping his eyes downfield make him a nightmare to game plan for.

Although he won’t wow you with his running ability, he will pick up one or two first downs with his legs every Sunday. Mayfield runs just enough to keep the defenses honest, but make no mistake he will use his legs to set up big plays in the passing game.