2015 NFL Mock Draft Roundup: Quarterbacks: Why Marcus Mariota is Not the Unanimous Top Selection
ByWith a rash of NFL Draft declarations, and much more expected before the Jan. 15 deadline, "Mock Draft Season" is officially upon us.
Several publications have offered their early guesses, though some feature picks that may not be possible given the players' NCAA status. As of right now, the complete draft order is not set, but most of the top picks are.
The QBs of this year's draft:
Marcus Mariota could decide to stay in school one more year and it would not be unprecedented, as Andrew Luck was the most recent to do so. Still, ESPN's Todd McShay, Bleacher Report and CBS Sports are among the many who are projecting Mariota as the top pick, going to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Oregon passer has displayed outstanding character to go along with huge numbers in college, albeit in a non-pro-style offense.
Jameis Winston is believed to be the second overall pick and the second overall QB in this class. With the second overall pick, the Tennessee Titans need a QB and Winston played two seasons in a pro-style offense. With Winston comes the threat of further off-field headaches, as he did not show any maturation from his freshman to his sophomore season. But The Big Lead put Winston at the top of the draft regardless and dropped Mariota to sixth overall.
The biggest surprise thus far was CBS Sports' inclusion of Brett Hundley in the first round. The mock draft suggested Hundley is a good fit in Chip Kelly's offense given his athleticism and ability to run the ball. However, Nick Foles appears to be secure in his position after playing well for Kelly before getting hurt. While Hundley had a nice three-year career at UCLA and has desirable size and physical attributes, evaluators at ESPN said Hundley has "room to improve" in the mental aspect of playing QB.
After Mariota, Winston and Hundley, Bryce Petty is expected to come off the board next, but his physical attributes do not seem to be on par with the other three. ESPN evaluators are not raving about his arm strength or accuracy, as well as his mental makeup, but his intangibles are easy to love.