Carolina Panthers offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo is reversing course on his initial harsh assessment of quarterback Baker Mayfield.
McAdoo infamously criticized Mayfield’s play and measurements when the Oklahoma-product was preparing to enter the 2018 NFL Draft. Now that he’s been given a closer look at the signal-caller, however, it appears as though his opinions have changed.
“Baker since he’s been here in the last two weeks, it’s been pretty impressive,” McAdoo said in his first comments since the Panthers had acquired the signal caller from the Cleveland Browns last month.
Though McAdoo wasn’t willing to label Mayfield as the winner of Carolina’s starting quarterback battle with Sam Darnold just yet, his change of heart certainly bodes well for the former Heisman winner’s chances, especially in conjunction with coach Matt Rhule’s recent comments.
“What he’s done in 10 days [of camp] is pretty impressive,” Rhule said on Monday. “He’s making real big jumps.”
In an article published by the New York Times in 2018, McAdoo, who had recently been fired as Giants head coach after the 2017 season, ranked his top quarterback prospects entering the draft that year. His list was headlined by Josh Allen, followed by Lamar Jackson, Darnold, Josh Rosen, Mason Rudolph and finally bookended by Mayfield.
Likely to McAdoo’s surprise, the Browns selected Mayfield with the first overall pick, and the Jets selected Darnold two picks later.
McAdoo believed Mayfield’s height at 6-foot-1 and 8 1/2 inch hands would not translate well at the next level, which is why he viewed the incoming rookie as the sixth best quarterback of the draft.
“He’s got an edge to him; I like that,” McAdoo said of Mayfield in 2018. “He’s gonna lead, they’re gonna follow him. I didn’t see a lot of pro-style football in his college tape. And if you’re short, you have to be able to make up for it some way, somehow, and personality doesn’t do that.
“I didn’t think he was a great athlete. This guy is kinda like a pocket quarterback that is short and with small hands, that’s what I worry about.”
Despite Mayfield having three of his passes deflected at the line in Monday’s training camp practice, McAdoo assured media there was no cause for concern. Instead of bashing the 27-year-old’s measurements as he had four years prior, McAdoo took a moment to praise Mayfield’s leadership and high IQ.
“One of his strengths is command,” McAdoo said. “He can lead a room, he can command a room, he can command an offense. He has a good presence about him. And, you know, he’s got a fire in his guts.
“The thing for Baker, he’s been in a lot of offensive systems going back to college and then coming through the pros. He’s bright and he really works at it. That helps him. He’s here very early in the morning, and I’m sure he’s burning the midnight oil to get caught up.”