With college football approaching its climax and NFL football nearing the playoffs, many football fans, especially Browns fans, are looking to the 2018 NFL Draft. More often than not, the question on many analysts minds is who is the next great QB? Judging solely on the views of many professionals, this upcoming quarterback class is full of potential from top to bottom. No one is truly sure who will be the first man taken next April, but everyone has their opinions.

Some view UCLA's Josh Rosen as the best prospect, where others still love Josh Allen of Wyoming or Mason Rudolph of Oklahoma State. However, as you look through the top five guys from different professional analysts, one name stands out. Baker Mayfield seems to be anywhere from a day three pick to the number one selection overall. That disparity is thanks to two men, Russell Wilson and Johnny Manziel.

Oklahoma's Heisman winning, gunslinging, and ultra-competitive fireplug of a quarterback stands at a whopping 6'1" (aka 6'3/4"). Manziel was measured just under 6'0" while Wilson stands at roughly 5'11". But the height is not where the similarities end. What made each of these quarterbacks so well known is their style of play and ability to evade pass rushers. They would evade pass rushers while keeping their eyes locked downfield looking for the open man.

Wilson is a one-man army on the Seattle Seahawks, while Manziel was one of the most electric and exciting college football players of the modern era. The problem for Mayfield is the vastly different professional careers of Wilson and Manziel. Wilson is in the midst of creating a very compelling MVP resume, while Manziel found himself out of the NFL in just over two seasons. Naturally, you could assume that talent is the deciding factor between a potential MVP and an unsigned free agent. But of course, that would be too simple.

Wilson is widely regarded as a leader and exemplifies everything a franchise quarterback should be when off the field. With Manziel, the opposite is true. His partying habits came under a large amount of scrutiny in college and in the pros. There were real questions raised as to whether he had the dedication to football that was necessary for him to ever succeed in the NFL. So what does that mean for Baker?

Baker Mayfield has raised some of his own character concerns such as being arrested for public intoxication and disorderly conduct in late February of 2017. Additionally, Baker was caught on camera during a game against Kansas making obscene gestures with his hands and crotch. He did this while he was yelling at opposing players from the Oklahoma sidelines.

Both of these events would lean towards Baker being tossed into the same category of players as Manziel. But at the same time, Baker is believed to have a higher understanding of how to read a defense than Manziel ever did. A player with the ability to play football intelligently, especially at his height, is incredibly important for an NFL player. This would be an aspect of Baker that favorably compares him to Russell Wilson.

The disparity between analysts who see Baker as a Wilson versus the ones who see him as a Manziel, often comes from the differing opinions as what his style of play is. Manziel was viewed as a guy who could run around and make these incredible plays, which sometimes are just lucky. Wilson on the other hand, was viewed as a true quarterback who could decisively and effectively cut through a defense. No one can agree on which one of those Baker is.

My opinion on the matter is that Baker is not truly like either of these players. He's his own little bit of everything, which isn't exactly a hot take, but allow me to explain. Baker might have his own bit of Manziel Magic in him, but I saw him firsthand cut through an extremely talented Ohio State defense.

He didn't do it by lofting balls down the field in the hopes that his receivers will make a play. He attacked our defense surgically and methodically. But Baker also might not have a perfect personality. He is as competitive as anyone else and isn't afraid to show it. This will lead to couple controversial incidents, but I doubt that he would put himself or anyone else in danger. Nor will he ever blame his teammates for a loss. He holds himself to a higher standard than that I believe.

An important factor in all this debate will be the NFL Combine. Wilson's measurables are of a significantly higher caliber than Manziel's measurables. To be a great NFL quarterback, Baker will probably also have to be freakishly athletic. But he's never going to be Manziel or Wilson. He's just going to be Baker Mayfield, a quarterback.