Can former Oregon Ducks quarterback Marcus Mariota pull a Cam Netwon?
Win the Heisman and then become the #1 overall NFL draft pick?
Mariota certainly has all the measurables, numbers, tools and statistics to accomplish this exceedingly rare feat. The 6’4″ 212 pound signal caller from Honolulu, Hawaii has INSANELY good stats, but he’s not as pro ready.
It’s turns out that the very previous Heisman winner, Jameis Winston, could end up at the #1 overall pick. Even in spite of his having the worst collection of character red flags in NFL Draft history (as we’ve chronicled here)
Winston could get the nod over Marcus Mariota simply because he’s more pro ready.
“He’s got the arm, the size, the intelligence, the character, the work ethic, all the things you need to fit in to any offense down the road,” said NFL Draft guru Mel Kiper Jr on an ESPN media conference call.
“But if you’re going to force feed him, he’s not going to be ready. Obviously, if Chip Kelly were to trade up for him, he would be NFL ready there, we wouldn’t even need to be talking about this then.
“There’s nothing there to preclude you from taking him, but you wouldn’t expect him to start right away and become an impact rookie,” Kiper continued.
Mariota definitely says all the right things. Even when he was asked if he’s ready to become the New York Jets starting quarterback.
Mariota is already vanilla in all his public speaking engagements; which is exactly what the NFL wants.
Unlike Rob Gronkowski, who is now all about giving the party line and staying on message, but was a very colorful personality who makes “good copy” during his first couple of years.
Back to Mariota and if he could be pro ready Teddy.
“With the Eagles he would be ideal, but you would need a bridge at quarterback to get to him, you have that in Tampa you have that at Tennessee but certainly from a pro style, NFL ready standpoint it would be Winston,” Kiper continued.
“With Winston obviously you need to work on his intangibles, the off the field issues.”
“If Winston checks out between now and April, and you can reconcile all that, and it’s all behind him and he’s matured and it’s not gong to happen again, then he’s goes #1, and Mariota would go second, sixth, somewhere in the top ten, maybe Chip Kelly and Philadelphia try to trade up to get him.”
That would be the greatest thing for football- to see Chip Kelly and Marcus Mariota reunited in the pros. You don’t need to be a Chip fan, or a Mariota fan for that to happen.
If you root for really fun to watch football…let’s hope this happens!
Mariota isn’t the only Oregon player who will be drafted very high. Here are two former Ducks with names that you need to know.
Paul M. Banks owns, operates and writes The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with Fox Sports Digital, eBay, Google News and CBS Interactive Inc. You can read Banks’ feature stories in the Chicago Tribune RedEye newspaper and listen to him on KOZN 1620 The Zone. Follow him on Twitter (@paulmbanks)