Browns' Jackson raves about Mayfield's football IQ, leadership

Although it took some time for Cleveland Browns head coach Hue Jackson to become enamored with Baker Mayfield, he's certainly glad his team took the Heisman winner first overall.

Mayfield wasn't considered a consensus top pick and many believed the Browns would take either Sam Darnold or Josh Allen with the first selection. Darnold ultimately went to the New York Jets, while Allen landed with the Buffalo Bills.

Although Tyrod Taylor was confirmed as the Browns' starting quarterback, Jackson was full of praise for his newest protege.

"Baker Mayfield is, from a football IQ standpoint, is as good as I've been around,'' Jackson said, via Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com "He has a tremendous arm talent, more so than I think anybody knows. Obviously he's proven he's very accurate with the football and I really think he's a tremendous leader, so he really has a lot of qualities that we look for and I think it's now somewhat coming out that a lot of people had him as their best quarterback so we're very excited to have him and very glad that he's going to be here in this organization.''

Related: Browns' Jackson reiterates Taylor is starter, but says Mayfield will compete

Jackson became convinced of Mayfield's potential when he flew to Oklahoma to watch him work out and throw passes.

"Working him out and spending that time in Norman and watching him with his teammates and how he throws the football (convinced me),'' Jackson said. "The football jumps off his arm. He has a quick arm, he's very accurate with the ball, and from there, then obviously spending some more time when he came here."

Jackson's career could be tied to how well Mayfield performs, so his evaluation of his new quarterback may have to come to fruition.