Heading into the 2018 NFL Draft, Baker Mayfield's agent, Jack Mills, knew that his client would drop no further than third to the New York Jets. As it turns out, Mills and Mayfield did not even have to wait that long as the Cleveland Browns selected the reigning Heisman Trophy winner with the #1 overall pick.
But, if the Browns had passed on Mayfield, Mills says things could have gotten really interesting.
During an appearance on former NFL Executive Andrew Brandt's podcast, Mills said the New England Patriots informed him that they were prepared to trade up for the #2 pick in order to select the star quarterback.
"We knew the Jets at No. 3 was the bottom line," Mills said during an appearance on former NFL executive Andrew Brandt's podcast (H/T CBS Sports). "We had another team -- which is going to surprise you -- another team had said, 'You may get a big surprise on draft day at No. 2 if [Mayfield] is available.' It was the Patriots. They had (No.) 23 and they had (No.) 31, and they had two seconds, and I don't know. We thought, boy, that's going to be a heck of a move to get up that high from where they are. And of course, he wasn't available so we never knew if that was a reality or not."
There had been talk of the Patriots using their 23rd and 31st picks to move up in the draft to select a QB of the future, but getting all the way up to the New York Giants' pick at #2 would have been incredibly difficult. We'll never truly know because they never got the opportunity.
New England ultimately stayed up and selected offensive guard Isaiah Wynn at 23 and running back Sony Michel at 31.