5 Reasons I Would Pick Marcus Mariota Over Jameis Winston in the NFL Draft

As the 2015 NFL Draft approaches, ESPN and every other major sports media outlet has begun the annual mock draft/prediction madness that surrounds professional football. Who will be the next great NFL star that leads his team to the Super Bowl? And who will inevitably be the next great bust, full of potential but incapable of producing on biggest stage in the sport? 2 quarterback prospects are at the center of draft speculation: Marcus Mariota and Jameis Winston. Both have won the Heisman and had incredible college football careers. But while FSU’s Winston currently ranks as the #1 pick, here are 5 reasons I’d select Mariota instead:

1. The Baggage – Let’s go straight to the elephant in the room; Winston has an entire section of his Wikipedia page devoted to his various “controversies”. He may have raped someone, he leapt atop a table in a lunchroom and declared a sexually explicit rant, and he’s also been known to steal seafood and soda around town. What will happen to this maniac when he’s got millions of dollars in his bank account? Mariota’s biggest legal transgression: he once got a speeding ticket. Who do you want as your next franchise quarterback and team leader?

2. Interceptions – One area where NFL defenses excel is in creating turnovers and interceptions. In 3 collegiate seasons with Oregon, Mariota threw 14 interceptions. Winston threw 28 in just 2 seasons, including 18 this year! Protecting the ball is vital at the NFL level, and Mariota does a better job of it.

3. Rushing Ability – While both prospects are an ideal sized 6’4”, Mariota has had more success pulling the ball down and running. He averaged roughly 700 yards per season and scored 29 rushing touchdowns. Winston totaled just 258 rushing yards in his 2-year career. Double-edged quarterbacks are the future in the NFL, with young stars like Colin Kaepernick and Russell Wilson terrorizing defenses with their feet as well as their arms. Even MVP Aaron Rodgers utilizes his rushing ability. Mariota clearly has more experience and success in this realm.

4. The Competition – Though they went undefeated and claimed the NCAA BCS National Title in 2013, FSU faced much weaker competition in the ACC than did Mariota in the Pac-12. The highest ranked opponent that FSU beat last season was #5 ranked Notre Dame, however the Irish would ultimately finish the season unranked. Oregon faced better teams like UCLA, Arizona, USC, and Utah. It’s also worth noting that in their undefeated regular season in 2014, FSU just squeaked by in many of their wins. Oregon blew most of their opponents out of the water.

5. Mariota beat Winston – For anyone wishing to compare the two in a single game, let us not forget that Mariota defeated Winston in the Rose Bowl by a large margin: 59-20. While certainly there was more on display than just these two players, Winston had several terrible moments, including a memorable fumble that led to an Oregon touchdown. He simply dropped the ball as Oregon defenders rushed upon him, not a good sign…

And so when assessing these two players, I’d put Winston in the dangerous JaMarcus Russell/ Vince Young category, while I feel that Mariota is more of an Aaron Rodgers/Russell Wilson potential type of player. He controls the ball better, he pulls the ball down and runs better, he’s faced better competition (and won), and he’s the more mature person, which bodes very well indeed for the one position in football that demands strong character.