If you had the #1 pick, and you needed a QB...

[original poster]

Winston is the sure fire winner out of the two IMO, just more versatile and I can see him adapting much quicker.

Still not convinced he won't be a bust, though.

 

[penihawk]

Winston just rubs me the wrong way. Having said that, if the Bucs can pass pro for him I think he does well with the big WR's in Tampa. If they can't, he will be sacked and picked at an alarming rate imo. He is way more ready to play now.

Mariotta just seems like he has a long ways to go as a player but I like the kid and think he can be pretty good with the right situation. Let his strengths and natural abilities shine and help you. I see him as Kaepernick without the shitty personality and attitude. If you try to make him what he isn't he will suck.

So I'm thinking I would take Leonard Williams and hope I can make something out of Petty or Grayson in the 3rd or 4th. :?: :?:

 

[Scottemojo]

I like what TOtC said about Williams.

Winston just strikes me as not getting life. He has that Cutler thing, where the talent will entice, and the attitude will kill coaches. Mariota simply doesn't fit every coach. It isn't that he is a scheme fit or lack thereof, it is simply that most coaches lack the vision to get comfortable with freelancing, scrambling, called runs, and the general oh shit! oh yeah! nature of an athlete playing the position. NFL convention still espouses the field general mentality. What we see in Seattle is rare, and I will contend that the biggest failure in SF was trying to make a game changing athlete into a field general.

I don't think Tampa can take Mariota for that reason, Lovie is not a guy who can see the beauty of a little chaos behind center, nothing about that scenario matches a guy whose tampa 2 devotion (a defensive scheme all about control, not chaos) really defines him. But Lovie has been killed by Cutler once already, shame on him for taking Winston and thinking the same thing won't happen.

 

[Largent80]

Without many words...Mariota. I watched a lot of his games system or no system, the guy is an athlete that can throw on the run.

 

[randomation]

Trade for Rivers and picks

 

[Seahawkfan80]

Grab Matt Flynn, wait til the third round then trade for Philip Rivers, then get the quarterback you want and cut Flynn and Rivers. Then make a deal for Sam Bradford. Is Aikman available?? Is Brett Farve? Maybe one of them could groom one of the newest draftees into a great rookie QB.

Probably in all honesty, go for Hundley. I know they are all drooling over Mariota and Winston, but I am unsure if they can handle the pressure of starting. Some of the quarterbacks out there leave a little to be desired as a teacher or mentor to groom a rookie to success. Just my thoughts.

 

[kearly]

I do prefer Mariota, but there is a reason he probably won't be the #1 pick. If you want a pro-style QB, the dropoff from Winston to the next guy in this draft is enormous. Winston might be the only QB in this draft with under center experience who projects as an NFL starter.

By contrast, the dropoff from Mariota to Bryce Petty isn't all that big. I think Petty is an under-rated QB who is also a total system QB. Petty might fail for most teams, but I bet he'd kick ass in Philly. If you are the Eagles, I think they'd be just fine waiting until day three for Petty. He has some God-given ability, and I feel his flaws aren't beyond Kelly's ability to repair.

That hurts Mariota's value. If a team is willing to adapt to fit their QB, there are other good spread option QBs in this draft (and pretty much any draft) that could be effective starters for an accommodating offense.

 

[Hawks46]

I like what TOtC said about Williams.

Winston just strikes me as not getting life. He has that Cutler thing, where the talent will entice, and the attitude will kill coaches. Mariota simply doesn't fit every coach. It isn't that he is a scheme fit or lack thereof, it is simply that most coaches lack the vision to get comfortable with freelancing, scrambling, called runs, and the general oh shit! oh yeah! nature of an athlete playing the position. NFL convention still espouses the field general mentality. What we see in Seattle is rare, and I will contend that the biggest failure in SF was trying to make a game changing athlete into a field general.

I don't think Tampa can take Mariota for that reason, Lovie is not a guy who can see the beauty of a little chaos behind center, nothing about that scenario matches a guy whose tampa 2 devotion (a defensive scheme all about control, not chaos) really defines him. But Lovie has been killed by Cutler once already, shame on him for taking Winston and thinking the same thing won't happen.

I agree with a lot of the posts I read here, but I think this one describes what I think best. Winston is just kind of a goofball and he doesn't come across as a grinder. Someone who has all the talent in the world, and he lets that get him by instead of work ethic.

The INT's would worry me if I'm looking at Jake Locker and they never really went down. Winston threw 18 last year, but only 4 the year before, as a Freshman, against 30 or 32 TD's. It seems to be the guy just didn't take it seriously, and it showed on the field.

That's the thing with me. If I'm drafting at 1st, I go with the talent and hope I can mold the kid mentally. I love Mariota for the intangibles, but Locker had all the intangibles in the world, and had better leadership qualities than Mariota, and it still didn't help him in the end.

Intangibles are one of those things that are really weird: you can't bank on them to pull a guy through that lacks polish or talent, but they sure as hell can kill you even if you do have talent but poor intangibles.

 

[Recon_Hawk]

Tough question. FWIW I think they are both worth the #1 pick in the draft.

I really like Mariota. He's a smooth QB capable of every throw and can buy time with his feet. He makes it look easy sometimes. I feel there's to much negative judgment on QBs who don't play in a pro style offense. There's a reason guys like Mariota and even Petty dominate at their position within their offense. It's not just the system, but they are really good football players. I think if you are a NFL team willing to adapt, you can help these guys translate to the pro game by installing an offense which emulates some of the same stuff they did in college.

That said, if I am Tampa Bay I'd draft Winston first overall. They have a lot of the pieces on offense that I think it'd be hard for Winston NOT to have success early in his career and if I'm Lovie Smith, I'd want to improve the program quicker rather than over the long-term.

 

[QuahHawk]

Winston is very much like Newton but even less likely to succeed.

Mariota is a slightly less physicaly gifted than Kapernick but with a little better leadership and maturity.

 

[Atradees]

I would rather have a Shelton or Williams......I would trade down. Pick up a serviceable veteran QB and draft a third round QB. The chance neither guy shines at qb is good. Too much of a risk. Mariota appears to have better character. I didnt like Winstons behavior in his last bowl game.

If the Bucs front office whiffs on this draft.........

 

[hawksfansinceday1]

Wouldn't touch Winston because of the off the field stuff so by default, Mariota. I do like his TD to int ratio so that tells me he sees the field well. His accuracy leaves a bit to be desired though.

 

[Seafan]

Winston is very much like Newton but even less likely to succeed.

Mariota is a slightly less physicaly gifted than Kapernick but with a little better leadership and maturity.

I would trade down but if I had to choose between the top 2 it's a no brainer, Mariota.

 

[Kamcussionator]

If I couldn't trade down, I'd flip a coin and pick in the top 3 next year too.

Seriously, I don't think either TB or Ten have any business drafting a QB this year. They could get Peyton Unitas and still only put up 6 wins. TB can't block anybody, and Ten can't stop anybody.

 

[CPHawk]

Winston is very much like Newton but even less likely to succeed.

Mariota is a slightly less physicaly gifted than Kapernick but with a little better leadership and maturity.

Besides being Black, he really is nothing like Newton. Newton is a athletic freak, Winston is about as athletic as Hasselback was, and Hass might have beat him in a 40 in his prime.

It's funny I've now heard two former Super Bowl coaches say the same thing as me about Marcus, he's a 6'4 Wilson. Both Gruden and Holmgren have said it, and both said they would take Marcus over Winston.

 

[TeamoftheCentury]

Man, at this point I'm thinking neither. I know that's not the question, but I'm going to answer it as if was the GM holding the first overall pick. I would take Leonard Williams or trade down. If I'm the GM of a team that is now in a position to win now, I think there are better overall football players that would make contributions to my franchise. If I'm a team like Arizona and either of them slide... then take either (preferably Winston on a team in position to possibly win now.)

Football coaches I speak with here in Orlando (some also being Bucs fans) say Jameis Winston (and it's not even close.) Simply, Mariota is a great athlete/ system QB. Winston has run a pro style offense, has the on-field leadership skills, etc.

I have tried to converse about this to bring up the "safer" pick argument. They're having none of it. It's not an FSU connection they have or hate for Oregon, either.

If I was pressed to pick one or the other, I would probably go with Mariota. But, I would probably not play him year one (unless it's Philly.) I do think Winston could be ready to play this season, but he's going to take his lumps if on a team in re-build mode.

The right choice for Tampa is Winston. They do have some talent and could put something together. I just would make sure he doesn't need to live up to lofty expectations on the field... but, he does off the field. It might be a good situation for Jameis. Lovie Smith might be as good a coach as any for him.

Good post.

Thank you.

 

[Tical21]

There is a whole lot to like about Mariota. Smart kid, all the tools. However, when I look into the future, I can't see Mariota putting up big numbers and wins. I don't think he has the dynamic personality that is required to be a successful quarterback. He isn't Russell. Russell has small man's syndrome, and wreaks of confidence and bullishness. You have to be able to prop yourself up on your confidence and be just a little crazy to be a successful QB. Every great quarterback has that trait, and I don't see it in Mariota.

If you're desperate for a QB, you have to take the elite prospect and hope you can fix everything else. That's Winston. I think he has the possibility to make a big splash, ala Cam Newton. A lot of doubters that he is going to try to prove wrong. He's got the WR's there to do it. That is the chance you have to take if you want to try to hit the homerun. I'm terrified of Mariota in Chip's system, but that is really about it. I think within 3 years he ends up playing for Chip anyways, if Chip is still in the league. I just can't see Mariota going to a bad team and being good enough to do anything with it.