Titan Sized
FanSided

How Marcus Mariota Will Help the 2016 NFL Draft

By Les Bailey

Dec 20, 2015; Foxborough, MA, USA; Tennessee Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota (8) runs the ball against the New England Patriots in the first quarter at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 20, 2015; Foxborough, MA, USA; Tennessee Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota (8) runs the ball against the New England Patriots in the first quarter at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit

The jury is still out whether the Tennessee Titans will pull off a successful trade, and be able to deal that first overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, but what Marcus Mariota was able accomplish during his first year in the NFL should provide teams a blueprint in which to work from.

Depend on which draft analyst you listen to, both North Dakota State quarterback Carson Wentz and Cal’s Jared Goff may require a year with a clipboard in their hands in order to come up to NFL speed at arguably a teams most important position.

Unfortunately, most teams who are picking close enough to the top of the draft and needing a quarterback are not in a position to wait for that quarterback to develop.

They will need to let their young signal callers learn under fire much like Mariota in 2015.

Marcus showed everyone that if you are somewhat intelligent, and can learn quickly, you can convert from a collegiate spread quarterback into a pocket passing star in the National Football League.

At least now that Mariota has shown the league that he could go from a pure spread offense where he did not operate from a huddle, to a full-blown NFL quarterback in one year, they now know that it can be done.

With a quarterback-needy  Cleveland Browns team expected to take one of the two top quarterbacks with the second pick, Mariota’s success should ease teams minds when thinking seriously about trading up to that first pick.

I really don’t think the Titans want to make a pick at that first spot.

Although protecting Mariota in his second season has been mandated by controlling owner Amy Adams Strunk, I’m not sure the answer lies in Ole Miss tackle Laremy Tunsil.

I tend to agree with Delanie Walker that the Titans do not need another rookie offensive lineman. Trading that pick is, in my opinion, the best option for this football team.

Next: Welcome to the Trade Party Philadelphia Eagles

So trading out of that first spot becomes the best option for general manager Jon Robinson, and head coach Mike Mularkey.

Marcus Mariota has proven the model, they just need to be sure one of the two players available are as intelligent and  are as hard working as the 2015 HeismanTrophy winner out of Oregon and the number two pick in the 2015 NFL Draft.

Home/Titans News