Marcus Mariota vs. Jameis Winston: Who Should Go 1st Overall?

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Dec 27, 2014; Anaheim, CA, USA; Florida State Seminoles quarterback Jameis Winston (L) and Oregon Ducks quarterback Marcus Mariota (R) pose for a photo with Mickey Mouse (C) at Disney California Adventure. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports

The #1 pick in the NFL draft will likely be a quarterback.  The question is should it be Marcus Mariota or Jameis Winston?

Strength

Playing against the biggest and best athletes in the world every Sunday requires not only a lot of toughness but also strength in order to survive.  Quarterbacks frequently will be asked to shrug off tacklers in order to keep plays and drives alive late in games.  Ben Roethlisberger and Cam Newton are terrific examples of this.  While there is no doubt Mariota has his share of bodily strength, his lean frame lends to the fact that if pro defenders get their hands on him, he’s going down.

Winston?  He has already shown that won’t be the case.

Advantage:  Winston

Speed

Speed is a defining characteristic for a lot of players in the NFL.  There is the common saying that everybody is fast in pro football.  Granted there is a grain of truth to that, but in reality it’s a bit overstated.  The fact is a quarterback with speed can make so many more plays than one who stands tall in the pocket.  Russell Wilson is a perfect example.  Winston is by no means immobile.  He has plenty of agility and burst for a guy his size but he simply can’t do things like this.

Advantage:  Mariota

Arm

This category is a bit harder to quantify simply because of the offenses both players are in.  Marcus Mariota is in a spread scheme at Oregon meant to get the ball out of his hands quickly to an open player.  Rarely do they take deep shots down the field simply because they don’t usually have to.  Now this doesn’t mean he can’t entirely cut it loose but it’s clear his game is more about accuracy and precision.  Meanwhile Winston, despite an elongated delivery has proven he has an arm much more suited to the pro game because he knows how to use play action and take his shots deep.

Advantage:  Winston

Pro Readiness

From a pure experience standpoint, Marcus Mariota holds the edge on Jameis Winston.  He has played more games at the college level and had more time to develop his mechanics.  However, he’s done all this playing in a largely college-based scheme at Oregon.  Not many NFL clubs are running a similar style of offense, particularly the ones drafting high this coming April.  Winston on the other hand has been brought up in a classic pro-style scheme where he takes snaps under center, takes three to seven-step drops and huddles up.

Advantage:  Winston

Leadership

It’s among the hardest things to measure in pro football players, but leadership is so key to finding the quarterback that will win a championship and the one that will fizzle.  Often the best way to determine a leader is through his actions and his ability to win.  Marcus Mariota has won a ton of football games for the Ducks, often purely through his own exploits.  He is a model off the field, never once getting in trouble and leading by example.  However he also has a history of coming up short in big games, losing the national championship badly to Ohio State this year and missing a chance at the Rose Bowl last season.

Winston on the other hand has demonstrated a bad immature streak off the field, getting caught shoplifting and exhibiting rude behavior.  However, he also has lost only one game in his college career, has developed a reputation for late game comebacks and led Florida State to the national title in 2013.  He’s animated, fiery and clearly hates to lose.

So honestly it will come down to what teams can live with.  Will they take the safer Mariota who lacks big-game heroics or the more mercurial Winston who thrives under pressure?

Advantage:  ?