Ep. 78: Why Baker Mayfield is the franchise QB for a changing NFL

How did Baker Mayfield reach the point of becoming the No. 1 pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, and why does the NFL seem to like a quarterback who doesn't fit the classic mold?

On this Takes By The Lake from cleveland.com, we answer both those questions with two guests who know Mayfield well, but in different ways.

First up is Jenni Carlson, the sports columnist from The Oklahoman whose work can be found at newsok.com. Carlson talked about Mayfield's arrival at Oklahoma, what fans thought of him early on and during his Heisman year, how he reacted to the mistakes he made in college and what he might be like as the face of an NFL franchise.

Then Doug Lesmerises talked with Sam Monson, the lead NFL analyst from Pro Football Focus. Monson was on Mayfield early, believing since the middle of his senior season that he deserved consideration as the No. 1 pick. Listen to Monson explain why that was and why he thinks the Browns and other NFL teams came to the same conclusion.

Plus, Monson offers a thought on the future of the Browns after these offseason moves.

It's all on the latest all-sports Takes By The Lake podcast from cleveland.com.

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