Funny Math with Baker Mayfield and His "Done Deal" to the Jets 3rd in the Draft

The NFL Draft is one week away, and for the most part, people who cover the draft closely are starting to agree on the first few picks. But before you read the next part, remember that it’s smokescreen season, and sometimes there’s a reason information like this gets out.

After free agency, I put Josh Allen at #1 in my mock draft. Mel Kiper was already there. Several prominent draft folks followed. Peter King of MMQB. Daniel Jeremiah of NFL Network. Louis Riddick said so on “Get Up” on April 19th.

Around the same time, chatter of Saquon Barkley going 2nd to the Giants became popular. I had it in my March 21st mock draft. This week, Mel Kiper said he believes the Giants will go Saquon Barkley. ESPN’s Todd McShay called Barkley to the Giants “inevitable.” Also this week, Jeremiah said he believes the Giants will take Saquon Barkley.

This is where it gets complicated.

If these draft pundits have Allen and Barkley going off the board 1st, why are so many reporters linking Baker Mayfield to the Jets when Sam Darnold is still on the board?

There’s a disconnect somewhere.

Tony Pauline has covered the draft for many years; he says it’s close to a “done deal” the Jets are taking Mayfield. This post covered a lot of the Jets/Baker Mayfield links – Daniel Jeremiah of NFL Network, Sports Illustrated’s Robert Klemko (who has covered and written about Mayfield a ton lately), and ESPN’s Jets reporter Rich Cimini.

There’s just no way the Jets are passing on Sam Darnold for Baker Mayfield. Won’t happen. So are people not believing the Allen/Barkley combo at the top, and what has happened to Josh Rosen? (Answer: Nothing.)

In fact, there’s been so much of a push for Mayfield this week, I wonder if that’s being floated by teams – to mask their love for Josh Rosen.

One week of insanity left.