Photo Credit: Mark J. Terrill/Associated Press
Even before the draft, people have been comparing Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota. With them being the first two draft picks, it only fueled their comparisons. With Winston going to the Buccaneers and Mariota going to the Titans, it’s never too early to predict who will end up successful and who will not.
First up is Jameis Winston. With the Tampa Bay Buccaneers being the worst team in the NFL last year, they need all the help they can get. Drafting Winston was a no-brainer for them. They needed someone to reboot their franchise and to bring new life into their team.
Drafting Winston seems to solve that problem for the time-being. Winston was an excellent player in college and was said to be more prepared than Mariota. So far, Winston is living up to that, because he’s been working extremely hard and he’s surpassing most of the expectations that people had for him.
Winston is able to focus under pressure which is crucial in the NFL. Unlike most players, Winston knows what his strengths are and he is confident in himself. His confidence is also crucial in the NFL. He has eyes all over the field and is able to make decisions quickly which allows him to have less time in the pocket which makes it more likely for him to score.
Unfortunately Winston has some drawbacks as well. Sometimes Winston relies too much on his confidence and makes risky throws instead of going with a safe throw. Winston is known for his explosive temper and not being professional on and off the field. He had a sexual assault charge, was caught shoplifting and is prone to being generally immature.
Mariota being drafted second was no surprise either. Like the Buccaneers, the Titans need all the help they can get and need a breath of fresh air in their franchise. His strengths and weaknesses differ slightly from Winston’s though which is why it makes it so easy to compare them.
Mariota has the body of an NFL quarterback along with his extreme speed, general athleticism and his character. With a 40-yard dash time of 4.52 seconds, speed is no problem for Mariota and that is proven in his time as Oregon’s quarterback. Mariota has strong arms and football skills which makes him a silent killer for the defense, because he’s able to make difficult passes without thinking twice. Mariota’s character is one of his biggest strengths, especially in comparison to other players. He has no off-the-field issues, is confident but humble, gets along with others easily and has a strong relationship with his family and his Hawaiian roots.
While Mariota has those strengths, he has his own weaknesses too. One concern going into the NFL for Mariota is his reliance on his offensive line. The offensive line was tailored to suit Mariota’s skill set which is an unrealistic idea in the NFL. Mariota has trouble securing the ball and it shows with his 27 fumbles throughout his career. While it is not a drawback directly related to Mariota, it’s hard to ignore that the Titans current quarterback, Zack Mettenberger said he’d “fight to the death” to keep his current job. While Mettenberger is being slightly dramatic, it’s certainly a drawback that Mariota might have to deal with.
With these two quarterbacks, it’s hard to choose who will come out on top. Both of them have a unique set of skills and different strengths and weaknesses. Seeing all of it laid out, one comes to mind as being better and that is Mariota. While Winston has a lot of potential, Mariota has more, because he is more mature and has the attitude and confidence of a true quarterback. If Winston can straighten out, he could have a chance, but right now, Mariota seems like the best choice.
