2015 NFL Draft: Marcus Mariota Mocked to the New York Jets by SB Nation

The off-season draft previews continue.

Yesterday morning, SB Nation released their latest version of their Mock Draft. Who did they choose for the New York Jets at number six? Everybody’s favorite quarterback, Marcus Mariota. Here is the report:

Lets put the impressive athletic traits aside for a moment. It can cloud your judgement of Mariota. As a passer, he excels when he can attack down the field. While he may not have a cannon of an arm, Mariota is as accurate of a downfield passer as there is in this year’s draft. Does he have the advantage of being in a system that leads to open targets? Yes. Should that be held against him? No. In 2014, Mariota looked much better throwing the ball into tight spots and putting his receivers in places where they can generate good yards after the catch. Mariota is a special project when you add the athletic ability onto those passing skills. In this year’s draft, Mariota is without peer athletically compared to other quarterbacks. He gets up to top gear in a hurry and can outrun defenders in the open field. He’s smart about it, too. He’ll slide or get out of bounds most times instead of taking a hit. In the NFL, Mariota will have to get comfortable taking more snaps from under center. He’ll also have to read defenses better. Oregon’s system often allowed him to make a single read. Considering how well Mariota keeps his eyes down field, there is reason to believe he can make that adjustment. The biggest knock on Mariota is his ball handling. He’s been prone to fumbles and it’s critical he fixes this flaw.

Take a look at the entire draft by clicking here.

You know how I feel here. What I find ironic is some of what he mentions about Mariota, directly address why I don’t want Mariota. He talks about Mariota’s ability to read defenses. He talks about playing from under center. There is no reason to believe that Mariota can make the adjustment, until he actually does it. Geno Smith came from a system where he didn’t play under center much, and many want him gone.

The Jets could get past these problems if they had Peyton Manning as their starter, giving Mariota a chance to learn. But if Mariota is chosen by the Jets at number six, he will be expected to compete now. His accuracy was bad at his Pro day, and we don’t know what he is going to be.

It’s too risky. Pass.

Next: Has Jamaal Charles Lost a Step?

More from The Jet Press

Home/Jets News