The immediate plans for Baker Mayfield and Nick Chubb are a bit odd, somewhat ironic, and all part of the crash course that is the No. 1 overall pick's brave new world.
BEREA This is a story about players whose teams didn't get it done on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day.
On Dec. 31 in Cleveland, with a chance not to end it all at 0-16, the Browns drove on Pittsburgh. A dropped pass stalled them. They lost 28-24.
On Jan. 1 in Pasadena, Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield tricked Georgia by going out for a pass and making a touchdown catch that led to a 31-17 halftime lead. With 55 seconds left in regulation, Georgia power back Nick Chubb took a direct snap and scored to send the national semifinal to overtime.
Mayfield couldn't steer the Sooners to the end zone in either of two overtimes. Chubb wound up with 145 yards on 14 carries, with two touchdowns in a 54-48 win.
It was 124 days later, and Mayfield had just finished his second practice as a rookie No. 1 overall draft pick. Pasadena won't leave him alone.
"I think about it almost every night," he said. "We had a chance to be national champions."
He could talk about it every night in the hotel room the Browns gave him for rookie minicamp. His roommate is Nick Chubb.
He said the assignment must have been someone's idea of "a sick joke." Actually, he likes Chubb. They have become fast friends.
But they haven't talked about New Year's Day.
Here's another funny thing about Mayfield and Chubb. The No. 1 pick has no idea when his next chance will come to play in a real game. Browns head coach Hue Jackson keeps saying eighth-year pro Tyrod Taylor "is the starting quarterback," and he used rookie minicamp to add, almost weirdly, "and that won't change."
Good luck interpreting that.
Meanwhile, the No. 35 overall pick, Chubb, almost certainly will play.
The Browns are sending clear signals that fifth-year pro Carlos Hyde and the rookie Chubb will fall into some sort of ball-carrying share, with Duke Johnson filling in behind them in a role to be determined.
Former No. 3 overall draft pick Alonzo Highsmith, once a bruising ball carrier and now a Browns vice president, says Chubb was one of his favorite players in the entire draft. Mayfield is forming his own impressions.
"Nick is very quiet and hard-working," said the quarterback not known for being quiet. "Everything you heard about him from the outside checks out … how well respected he is. Being up close and in person, you see his strength, the cuts, the acceleration. He's impressive."
For his part, Chubb notes that a carry share will be nothing new for him. Here's a look at how that worked in his last three years at Georgia.
- 2014. Chubb, 219 carries, 1,547 yards; Todd Gurley, 123 carries 911 yards; Sony Michel, 64 carries, 410 yards.
- 2015. Michel, 218 carries, 1,136 yards; Chubb, 92 carries, 747 yards; Keith Marshall, 68 carries, 350 yards.
- 2016. Chubb, 224 carries, 1,130 yards; Michel, 152 carries, 840 yards; Brian Herrien, 63 carries, 363 yards.
- 2017. Chubb, 223 carries, 1,345 yards; Michel, 156 carries, 1,227 yards; D'Andre Swift, 81 carries, 618 yards.
Chubb moves through 2018 with his own chip on his own shoulder. Whereas he got to play one more game than Mayfield by virtue of the double-OT win, his bonus appearance was a downer. On Jan. 8, with a national title on the line, Chubb squeezed just 25 yards out of 18 carries in a 26-23 overtime loss to Alabama.
But Chubb has been a good SEC workhorse for a long time. He was on his way to a monster year in 2015 when, in Game 5 against Alabama, he ran 20 times for 146 yards. It was his 13th straight 100-yard game across two seasons. He was a Heisman Trophy candidate. He blew out a knee a week later at Tennessee.
Scouting reports suggest he was never quite what he had been after recovering from injuries, but succeeded by sheer force of will, and could have his best football in front of him if he puts more distance between his injuries.
"I haven't really gotten a feeling for the NFL yet," Chubb said. "I do feel that Georgia prepared me for whatever comes."
As for Mayfield, he seems to be taking a crash course in stride.
He and new coordinator Todd Haley are immersed in concepts. New QBs coach Ken Zampese is weaning him from a full diet of shotgun to taking direct snaps. New roster member/mentor Drew Stanton is frequently at his side. He and Taylor are scoping each other out. Old Browns icon Bernie Kosar has been in the building, reaching out.
Having been drafted No. 1 and spent more than a week in the brave new world of the NFL has been therapeutic.
"It feels good to be back on the field," he said. "It feels natural out there."
Reach Steve at 330-580-8347 or steve.doerschuk@cantonrep.com
On Twitter: @sdoerschukREP