Baker Mayfield received national attention from NFL observers after his preseason debut. (Joshua Gunter, cleveland.com)

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Baker Mayfield's sensational NFL debut during Thursday night's 20-10 preseason victory over the Giants should give long-suffering Browns fans hope for a brighter future.

Coming off the bench behind Tyrod Taylor after two series, Mayfield threw two TD passes in his seven possessions and displayed many of the qualities that led the Browns to draft him No. 1 overall.

Granted, Mayfield played with and against backups, and things will get tougher once he faces the best, fastest and nastiest defenders in the NFL. But he exhibited plenty of traits in that should hold up against starting NFL talent, and evaluators nationwide have already cranked up the Mayfield mania.

"This Baker Mayfield debut against the Giants (is) one of the greatest rookie quarterback debuts I've ever seen,'' NFL analyst Brian Baldinger tweeted.

Does the outing mean that coach Hue Jackson will change his mind and let Mayfield compete for the starting job on opening day against the Steelers? Probably not. He's held fast to Taylor as his starter and has said many times "that's not going to change."

But Mayfield certainly merited some work in camp with and against the starters to accelerate his development and prepare him for that inevitable moment this season when he'll get on the field.

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Will it be status quo for Mayfield?

Before the game, I asked GM John Dorsey if Mayfield will continue to have no shot to win the starting job out of camp.

"He's going to come out there and compete, and I think it's important for him to get his feet wet in the National Football League and understand what the nuances are of the game," Dorsey said. "Because for him to succeed on a long-term basis, there's a lot of things that he's going to have to learn and he knows that. We're all just kind of excited to see him go out there and play today and we'll see if he makes some plays."

Here's a closer look at his night.

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1. Mayfield's unique skill set

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How did the No. 1 overall pick look in his preseason debut?



EVERY @bakermayfield throw from #CLEvsNYG! pic.twitter.com/QLJQezjNT7 — NFL (@NFL) August 10, 2018

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Mayfield has exceptional arm talent and that's not dependent on who the Browns play. He has uncanny accuracy for a rookie and arm strength that some rank better than Josh Allen's. He's got excellent vision, quick feet, good pocket presence and the ability to sense the rush and escape it. All of these things were on display against the Giants.

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2. He's an amazing locator

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Quarterbacks talk in terms of locating the ball, and Mayfield is by far the best "locator" I've ever seen for a Browns rookie. In fact, he's better than most of the veterans I've seen here too. Mayfield can zero in on a spot and place the ball precisely there.

Several times on Thursday, he put it where only his man could get it, including this excellent TD pass to Njoku. Mayfield squeezed it between two defenders in the back of the end zone, and high enough for only the 6-4 Njoku to grab it.

How many times have we seen that ball thrown out of the end zone? Mayfield had the depth perception to keep it inbounds and drop it right in the tight end's hands.

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3. He can escape pressure - and deliver on the run

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Before you can escape trouble, you have to know where it's coming from. Mayfield has an innate ability to sense pressure and avoid it, either by stepping up, sidestepping it or scrambling away from it. Again, this will get a lot tougher when he faces the NFL's best defenders, but he's a natural at this.

On this throw to Antonio Callaway, he's flushed right and delivers an amazing sideline pass, not only where only the receiver can grab it, but with just enough space for Callaway to tap both feet inbounds.

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4. He throws a catchable ball

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Mayfield can vary his velocity and arm angles. If he needs to throw a bullet, like he did on this slant to Callaway, he can do that. If he needs to sidearm a pass, he's got that. If he needs to lob it or take some heat off the ball, he can do it with ease.

Last season, DeShone Kizer had tremendous velocity, but the ball often came in like a brick. Mayfield can deliver it just the way his receivers like it, and he makes them look good.

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5. He can lead, take command and keep everyone involved

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Mayfield spread the ball around to a variety of receivers, and showed faith in all of them, regardless of what happened on the previous pass. Here, he hits Rashard Higgins with a backshoulder pass, and slightly underthrows it so only Higgins can get it.

Mayfield has made a camp star out Higgins, who may have otherwise been headed for the Browns' scrap heap. He also stuck with Callaway despite early drops, including one at the goal-line. Mayfield encouraged Callaway, and paved the way for his big second half, including the 54-yard catch-and-run for a TD.

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6. He can move

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On the Njoku TD drive, Mayfield scrambled for six and five yards to convert third and fourth downs, and demonstrated good mobility throughout the game. He's not the fastest athlete, but quick and agile enough to extend plays. He can roll out to either side and skitter around in the pocket.

He looks to throw before he runs, keeps his eyes downfield, and throws a terrific ball on the run. On third-and-18, he stepped up in the pocket and delivered a 21-yard strike to C.J. Board. He completed another pass while a defender had him by the ankle. He's mobile enough to improvise, and has vision to make plays all over the field.

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