The current Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback, Baker Mayfield, was a star in college, starting for the Texas Tech Red Raiders as a walk-on before lighting it up for the Oklahoma Sooners.
Mayfield’s Heisman Trophy performance in 2017 led to him being the number one overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. His success for the Sooners has put him in the conversation as one of the best college quarterbacks in recent memory.
Baker Mayfield Slinging the Football to a Heisman Trophy
Mayfield was a three-star prospect in high school, receiving multiple scholarship offers, including from the North Texas Mean Green, Rice Owls, Florida Atlantic Owls, and more.
He also received walk-on offers from multiple teams, but the future Heisman Trophy winner opted to open his college career in Lubbock with the Red Raiders.
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Mayfield made history by becoming the first FBS walk-on freshman to start in the season opener at quarterback. The enigmatic quarterback started seven of the eight games he appeared in, throwing for 2,315 yards and 12 touchdowns to nine interceptions.
After impressing for Texas Tech during his first season in the sport, Mayfield secured a transfer to Oklahoma. In a time before immediate eligibility, he had to sit for a season, missing the entire 2014 college football campaign.
Starting in 2015, Mayfield would command the starting quarterback job for the Sooners, starting at least 13 games in each of the next three seasons.
The Sooners’ QB threw for 3,700 yards and 35 touchdowns to seven interceptions, going 11-2 as the starter in his first season in Norman. Mayfield earned first-team All-American and Big 12 honors as he led Oklahoma into the College Football Playoff semifinals.
He was even better in 2016, racking up 3,965 yards and 40 touchdowns with eight interceptions. Despite Mayfield’s efforts, Oklahoma filed another 11-2 campaign, missing out on a playoff berth. However, the Sooners did win their Sugar Bowl appearance against the Auburn Tigers.
Mayfield saved the best season of his collegiate career for last, leading the Oklahoma offense with a ludicrous 4,627 passing yards and 43 touchdowns. The Heisman Trophy headlined a plethora of awards for his performance, while the Sooners made the playoffs for the second time in three seasons.
Finishing his college career with 14,607 passing yards, 131 touchdowns, and just 30 interceptions, Mayfield also ran for 1,083 yards and 21 scores as he led the Sooners to a 38-8 overall record as the starting quarterback in Norman.
NFL Career Starting in Cleveland, Replacing Tom Brady in Tampa Bay
The NFL was Mayfield’s next chapter as he was the first overall pick of the 2018 NFL Draft, bringing hope to a beleaguered Cleveland Browns franchise. He spent four seasons with the Browns, taking them to the playoffs in 2020 as the team finished with an 11-5 record, making it to the Divisional Round of the playoffs where they fell to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Following his time with the Browns, Mayfield bounced from team to team, spending time with the Los Angeles Rams and Carolina Panthers before finding his feet in Tampa Bay. The former Oklahoma quarterback got his career back on track with the Bucs, leading them to the playoffs in 2023 with a 9-8 overall record.
So far in his career, Mayfield has thrown for 20,332 passing yards with 130 touchdowns to 74 interceptions while completing 61.9% of his pass attempts. The former Oklahoma QB has also rushed for 823 yards and seven more scores.
The story of Mayfield’s career is still being written, but replacing Tom Brady as the Buccaneer’s quarterback and leading them to a Super Bowl appearance would rank alongside the great accomplishments of his college career.
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