CLEVELAND — Baker Mayfield is a fan favorite after he turned the Browns' longtime bleak future into a bright, promising one where fans can get excited about their team.
Using stats to analyze performances of each NFL team and player, ProFootballFocus.com graded all 32 first rounders after Week 17 of the NFL regular season.
Among the rookie players, Baker Mayfield cemented himself as a star after taking over for an injured Tyrod Taylor in Week 3.
Mayfield led the team to a 7-8-1 record and set the NFL record for the most touchdown passes by a rookie.
Wait, there's more.
Mayfield graded north of 70.0 in nine of his 14 games, while he put 39 big-time throws on tape, the third-most ever recorded by rookie.
Overall, he ended the 2018 season with a grade of 84.5.
Coming in with a 2018 season grade of 79.0, Denzel Ward gave fans another reason to get excited about the Browns.
In 13 games, Ward allowed a passer rating of just 70.7 on throws into his coverage and received an average of 0.88 yards per coverage snaps, both ranked fourth among first-year cornerbacks this year.
