Buccaneers prefer Jameis Winston over Marcus Mariota

Nov 8, 2014; Tallahassee, FL, USA; Florida State Seminoles quarterback Jameis Winston (5) warms up before the game against the Virginia Cavaliers at Doak Campbell Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Melina Vastola-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 8, 2014; Tallahassee, FL, USA; Florida State Seminoles quarterback Jameis Winston (5) warms up before the game against the Virginia Cavaliers at Doak Campbell Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Melina Vastola-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers currently prefer Jameis Winston over Marcus Mariota, and hold the first pick in the 2015 NFL Draft.


Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston and Oregon Ducks Marcus Mariota were the two most talked about quarterbacks in college football this past season, and they are both available in the 2015 NFL Draft.

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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers hold the number one overall pick in the draft this year, and most expect to see them use that pick on a quarterback. It is possible that they open up to trade talks or go with a different position, but quarterback is definitely a position of need. Tampa Bay struggled through this past season, with quarterback play split between Josh McCown and Mike Glennon, and need a long-term solution.

According to a report from WalterFootball.com, the Buccaneers would prefer to take Winston to be that solution over Mariota at this point in time.

Both Winston and Mariota had their struggles during the college football playoffs, but they also have shown flashes of brilliance during their college careers, each winning the Heisman Trophy in the process.

Winston finished his two-year career at Florida State with 7,964 yards, 65 touchdowns, and 28 interceptions. He led the Seminoles to a National Championship win in his freshman season, and lost just one game in his college career. Mariota on the other hand compiled 10,796 yards, 105 touchdowns, and just 14 interceptions.

Oregon’s offense was one of the most high-powered in the whole college football landscape during Mariota’s career, and he has been expected to be the top quarterback available in the draft for most of the season.

Mariota’s struggles during the National Championship game against the Ohio State Buckeyes were well documented, but he was a much better quarterback throughout his career than Winston.

Their is a catch according to the report, Winston will only stay ahead in the race as long as those within the Buccaneers’ organization feel that he continues interviewing well and doesn’t get into trouble before the draft. If he can do those relatively simple tasks, it looks like Winston will end up being the number one overall pick.

There is no doubt that Winston is a proven winner, but he already does have a long track record of issues off-the-field, ranging from allegations of sexual assault to theft of crab legs to other stupidity.

Mariota on the other hand hasn’t seen his name in a paper with any type of bad connection to it.

Tampa Bay has a big decision to make about the future of their franchise, and they can’t afford to make a mistake with this opportunity. They have a chance to bring in the future face of their franchise, and they need a quarterback in order to get back into playoff contention. It will be very interesting to see what direction they end up going with the number one overall pick, but right now Winston would likely be their selection.

H/T WalterFootball

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