Oklahoma fans know better than anyone what quarterback Baker Mayfield is capable of, even now in the NFL, but it’s taking others a lot longer to learn, no matter what he keeps proving.
Mayfield, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ QB1, just came in at No. 77 in the NFL’s 2026 Top 100 Players, which is voted on by players in the league. It was a dramatic drop of 27 spots compared to last year despite Mayfield playing at an MVP level again early last season before battling injury after injury. That doubt fuels Mayfield as a former walk-on, but at some point, the NFL has to start taking notice of how good Mayfield has proven he actually is.
With the top 100 just starting to roll out, Mayfield was only the second QB listed after the Carolina Panthers’ Bryce Young at No. 98. That means plenty of under-deserving quarterbacks will be ranked ahead of Mayfield based on media narratives and unchanged perspectives despite new results.
No. 77 on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2026…@Buccaneers QB Baker Mayfield! @NFLFilms pic.twitter.com/JsCX8LQzQV
— NFL (@NFL) July 7, 2026
Baker Mayfield should be mentioned among the elite QBs in the NFL and paid like one
Before injuries decimated the Bucs last season, especially at receiver, Mayfield was in the thick of the NFL MVP race while having his team tied for the best record in the league through Week 5. The eventual 5-1 start included four game-winning drives led by Mayfield as he continually put the team on his back in crunch time.
The hot start had the NFL world finally taking notice of Mayfield and putting him in the elite tier of players, but then the Bucs’ season fell apart because of multiple injuries. At one point, Mayfield was without his four best receivers on the field and trying to make the most with practice squad guys surrounding him.
Mayfield himself also dealt with injuries. He never missed a game but was on the injury report 10 of 18 weeks. If anything, that speaks to Mayfield’s toughness as he still played the fifth-most snaps among NFL quarterbacks last season. That should also earn him more respect from his peers who vote on the top 100.
Even through the injuries all around, Mayfield completed 63.2% of his passes for 3,693 yards and 26 touchdowns compared to 11 interceptions. His TD and passing yards total had dipped compared to his previous two seasons in Tampa, but both marks were still in the top 10 in the league. He also rushed for a career-high 382 yards to help make up for where the Bucs were lacking in the passing game.
Read more: Baker Mayfield is fully bought into Brent Venables leading the Oklahoma Sooners
Mayfield is a franchise QB and has proven that the last three years in Tampa, whether the Bucs want to admit that now or not. The franchise and Mayfield are in the midst of contract talks as he enters the final year of his deal, and it's starting to look like the Bucs could ultimately let Mayfield walk. A massive mistake for a franchise with a small Super Bowl window that would slam shut without Mayfield.
That's why the perspective of Mayfield really does matter. Yes, OU fans just want Mayfield to get the respect he deserves, but it most importantly influences how large of a payday Mayfield gets. Not only has Mayfield earned the right to be considered among the great players, but he should also get paid his worth.
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