MOBILE, Ala. — Will the biggest name at the Reese’s Senior Bowl play in the game itself?
That depends on how University of Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield’s week of practice unfolds.
Mayfield said Wednesday night that he was taking a wait-and-see approach as to whether he would participate in Saturday’s college all-star contest.
“We’ll see how I finish up the week of practice,” Mayfield told co-host Rick Neuheisel and me on SiriusXM NFL Radio. “I have three years of game film for people to watch if they want to see how I handle games.
“The main decision coming down here was getting in front of (NFL) people and talking to them and showing that I can learn an offense in three days, progress and pick it up easily.”
Mayfield has previously said he wanted to meet with NFL teams to clear up any character issues they may have surrounding some of his controversial on-field antics and an arrest last February on alcohol-related charges.
Whether fair or not, skipping a competitive situation like the Senior Bowl game – especially when other projected first-round prospects are participating -- would draw Mayfield additional scrutiny. Mayfield, though, would be eliminating risk of injury as well as potentially hurting his draft stock with a subpar performance working with unfamiliar teammates.
Mayfield arrived to the Senior Bowl on Tuesday, which was a day later than expected, because his mother had fallen ill. Mayfield said he went straight from the airport to the practice field to begin working with the Denver Broncos coaching staff that is handling the Senior Bowl’s North squad.
The Broncos had specifically requested Mayfield for their roster as the team is in the market for a new quarterback.
“It’s been absolutely crazy busy but that’s a good thing,” said a weary Mayfield, who received an emailed version of Denver’s Senior Bowl playbook before his arrival. “But what I love doing is playing ball.
“The first day, I was a little shaky in the beginning. But when I settled in I thought I had a pretty good day. We watched the film, went into meetings and after that talked to teams and different people.”
Mayfield is among the NFL’s top 2018 quarterback prospects stemming from his achievements at Oklahoma that include winning the 2017 Heisman Trophy and leading the Sooners into last season’s FBS playoffs.
While he was under the spotlight in college, the attention Mayfield will be receiving as April’s draft approaches will be even more intense.
Mayfield said he is ready for that.
“For me, this is a good process – talking to people about who I am as a person,” Mayfield said. “There’s one portrayal here and another there.
“I just want to get out in front and show who I am. I’m enjoying it.”
Even if that means leaving Mobile early.
