BEREA, Ohio -- While Tyrod Taylor may be firmly entrenched as the team's starting quarterback, there was little question as to who the fan favorite was on the first day of training camp for the Cleveland Browns.
By a fairly sizable margin, Baker Mayfield's No. 6 jersey was the most popular jersey worn by fans in attendance at the Browns' team facility on Thursday afternoon.
And with a raucous group of fans on hand to witness his first real practice as a pro, the reigning No. 1 overall pick didn't disappoint.
Like many rookie quarterbacks, Mayfield's first practice featured its share of good and bad, but the former stood out in a way that's been largely unfamiliar around Berea for the better part of the past two decades. As was his M.O. at Oklahoma, where he rewrote record books en route to winning the 2017 Heisman Trophy, Mayfield showed a willingness to attack downfield -- doing so at a fairly accurate clip.
On one play in a one-one-one drill, the 6-foot-1 signal-caller linked up with rookie Antonio Callaway for what would have been a long touchdown pass against fellow first-round pick Denzel Ward.
Moments later, he hit Rashard Higgins for a long pass in an 11-on-11 drill, showing the type of pocket presence that some questioned he'd be able to display at the next level.
"He is progressing and improving. I saw some of that improvement today. Normally, he would flush out to the right side when pressure came," Cleveland head coach Hue Jackson said after practice. "He stood in there, especially in our scoring zone area, and made some plays. He stood there and threw the football. That was good to see, but we have to continue to do that. This is the first day."
Jackson's right, it was only one day -- a day in which the Browns were practicing in what amounted to shorts, t-shirts and helmets, no less. To this point, Cleveland has made it clear that Taylor, entering his eighth year in the NFL, is the team's starter, leaving Mayfield in an unfamiliar role after three seasons as one of college football's biggest stars.
“I would never get my mind right to be a backup," Mayfield said prior to practice. "That is the second that I would be complacent. That is the second that I would stop working. You always have to keep working like you are going to be the best."
Mayfield hasn't shown his "best" yet, but if the first day of practice was any indication, he'll be given ample opportunity to do so. Although Taylor took the majority of first-team reps as planned, Jackson and his staff weren't shy about getting long looks at Mayfield ahead of veteran journeyman Drew Stanton.
For now, the plan remains for Taylor to start the regular season and try to win as many games possible as Mayfield develops on the bench. If his development continues, however, as quickly as it appeared to on Thursday, that plan could very well be subject to change.