Father Dungy Talks Mariota, Winston
January 27th, 2015
Man, Joe’s had one hell of a busy day at Super Bowl Media Day and surrounding festivities. Bucs fans are going to want to stay glued to JoeBucsFan.com this week and next month. Joe’s got all kinds of fun stuff.
Late this afternoon, Joe got a chance to pin down Father Dungy on his famous quarterback endorsement.
Of course, Dungy labeled Marcus Mariota six weeks ago as the next Aaron Rodgers. Joe told Dungy that he sent shockwaves through the ranks of faithful Bucs fans.
“Does that mean you don’t like Jameis Winston,” Joe asked Dungy today.
“It doesn’t mean I don’t like Jameis at all,” Dungy said. “I haven’t seen Jameis play as much as I’ve seen Marcus. I’ve seen Marcus play. I’ve seen him practice. I’ve been around him as a person. I believe in him. And he does remind me a lot of Aaron Rodgers coming out of college. You know, Aaron Rodgers didn’t play for three of four years in Green Bay, and now he’s arguably the best quarterback in football.
“But I think Marcus has a lot of the same skill set. He has the same drive and determination. I just really think the world of him as a person. I just think he’s special. If I watched Jameis as much, and knew as much about him, I’d probably have a similar opinion but I just think Marcus is going to be sensational in the NFL.
Joe: A lot of people say Marcus isn’t pro-ready because of the offense he plays in. Is there something to that?
Dungy: They said the same thing about Aaron Rodgers and he went late in the first round last year. And the feelling was that Alex Smith was a little more ready. I think Marcus will adapt and he’ll be fine.
Joe: Adapt right away?
Dungy: That’s something that would depend on his coaching staff and his new organization.
Joe: Is that something you expect to tell Lovie Smith, how you feel about Mariota?
Dungy: If he asks me. (laughs) Only if he asks me.
Joe: You don’t think he’ll ask you?
Dungy: He may ask me before it’s all said and done.
Joe: (Laughs) We saw you at Bucs practices. You’ve been around the team.
Dungy: (Laughs) I’ll be around Lovie a lot, but I don’t offer my opinion until it’s asked for.
January 27th, 2015 at 7:31 pm
Aaron Rodgers sat on a bench for 3 years learning the game behind Favre. That’s a pretty important difference.
Should we bring in a veteran QB and just sit Mariota for a few years and wait for him to learn? I don’t think Bucs fans want to go that route.
That might be the only route though. Even Theisman just recently said both these guys need work. I doubt either one are going to be NFL-ready week 1. It could be an ugly start to their careers if you toss them out there and hope for the best.
January 27th, 2015 at 7:34 pm
Glad you’re having fun joseph.
January 27th, 2015 at 7:34 pm
Didn’t Father Dungy endorse Josh Freeman as well? Said he had a good head on his shoulders or something.
January 27th, 2015 at 7:35 pm
Yea taking qb advice from Dungy is like taking qb advice from joe. Ooh boom pow!! Jk
January 27th, 2015 at 7:37 pm
Nice interview Joe.
A big part of why I have so much confidence that Winston will be a star QB in the NFL is kind of the same as what Dungy is saying about Mariota. I’ve seen Winston play a good bit the last 2 years and I know what he is really capable of as a result.
As long as we draft 1 of these 2 QBs I will be happy. I will let the people at OBP who get paid to evaluate and do what is best for the team decide which QB is our best option (or neither). I just hope the Bucs decision makers see what I see in Winston because if they pass on him for whatever reason and he becomes a top 10 NFL QB in short order like I believe will happen – it will be yet another tragic chapter in Bucs lore of what could have been…
January 27th, 2015 at 7:44 pm
It’s that simple. Do you want Aaron Rodgers or Alex Smith? That’s a no-brainer: Rodgers. Besides, how many super bowls have been won by teams with a quarterback that had Winston’s character issues coming out of college. Mariota may not get to the Super Bowl for five years, but ny then Winston likely will be out of football. Quit being so short sighted. I don’t care whether Mariota starts a game this year or not. As someone who had been a manager at a high level of an organization for a long time, I can can tell you that every time I hired someone with a questionable past expecting them to “mature” on the job, I got burned. At age 20 or above, the die usually is cast.
January 27th, 2015 at 7:47 pm
I totally respect Dungy as a man but no way would I trust him to pick my QB. Great man, turrble offensive talent evaluator.
January 27th, 2015 at 7:51 pm
Thanks, Joe.
San Tan Brewery is good.
Also recommend Four Peaks Brewery. Have yourself a Kiltlifter. One of my favorites.
January 27th, 2015 at 7:51 pm
Didn’t he draft He draft a really QB and that QB wasn’t the consensus top QB in that draft. What was his name?
January 27th, 2015 at 7:53 pm
Farve was the perfect bridge for Aaron Rodgers… He set a standard for Rodgers to compete with if he ever wanted to de-throne him…
If we take Mariota, we need the right bridge. We dont have a Farve… We have a ‘oh no’ and a ‘hell no’ at the QB position…
But as much as Ive defecated on the MGM, Glennon just might be the perfect bridge… His numbers are in line with McCown, and just at a fraction of his salary. Glennon has something to prove/showcase, where McCown knows his playing days are pretty much over.
Lets keep ‘the neck’… They’ll compete… Glennon can start the ’15 season, and Mariota will only get more confident once he realizes that he’s got the skillset to take over the reigns..
After Glennon gets benched for Mariota, trade ‘the neck’ before the deadline… Save $$$ from cutting McCown, and get a mid-round ’16 pick for Glennon.
January 27th, 2015 at 8:02 pm
Dungy had nothing to do with Freeman…he was with the Colts.
Raheem Morris was a big Freeman backer as he was with Josh in Kansas
That said Dungy’s first hand experience with Mariota…will weigh heavy in the Halls of One Buc
January 27th, 2015 at 8:05 pm
What about Phoenix, proper?
January 27th, 2015 at 8:06 pm
Hey Joe…why are my comments always waiting Moderation ?
Simple, you were banned a while ago because your had a stretch of comments that were malicious attacks against Joe after repeating warnings. –Joe
January 27th, 2015 at 8:11 pm
Emily Bazelon on SLATE writes:
“The underlying question about Winston, his accuser, and Meggs’ decision is this: Did she lie, or did she make an accusation of rape that is credible but too difficult, in the view of this prosecutor, to prove in court? One thing is clear: False accusations of sexual assault are uncommon. Yes, it happens, causing terrible damage for men who are falsely accused. But the evidence suggests that the vast majority of the time, women who go to the police about rape are telling the truth.”
So many of you seem to want to give Jamies the benefit of the doubt that he misread the judgment of not to prosecute. That judgment was not a verdict of innocence. It was simply a decision that it would be too difficult to prove in court. That doesn’t mean that Winston is innocent; it means that they felt it could not be proven in court given the evidence. These are two different things entirely. So please quit with all the “lying slut” arguments, because they just show the ignorance and misogyny of those who make them. It’s quite unbecoming of an educated person. Fine if you want Winston because you like his football skills, but don’t draw conclusions about this women’s motives or character based on what we actually do know about what happened that night, which is very little.
January 27th, 2015 at 8:12 pm
Notice how Dungey avoided saying anything negative about Jamies Winston, and went on, to only address the positive aspects about Marcus Mariota.
January 27th, 2015 at 8:13 pm
Sorry Joe. I didn’t spend much time in PHX proper… don’t you have a car? Just be careful, don’t want you ending up in pink scrubs in (sheriff) Joe’s Hacienda.
January 27th, 2015 at 8:15 pm
You know Dungy thinks Winston is a scumbag
January 27th, 2015 at 8:20 pm
@buddah I personally never called her a lying slut but I did say and do believe it is a money grab. Her story has inconsistencies unlike all the other witnesses. There was also a hush money proposal to keep it out of the press. That to me say what many think it says. Draw your own conclusions.
January 27th, 2015 at 8:29 pm
@ Luther you opinion is way off she reported it be for he even took a snap at QB for FSU. What money he was a nobody
January 27th, 2015 at 8:42 pm
Winston could drop, teams are concerned about his character.
January 27th, 2015 at 8:43 pm
Tony Dungy’s opinion is not likely to have much influence on anybody here….but it will be an influence with Lovie & the Glazers……like it or not.
Lets see who will stand up to vouch for Winston’s character in the coming months.
As far as the comparasons go with Rodgers…..how does anybody know what kind of QB Rodgers would be with 1 year vs 3 or would have been with another mentor other than Farve…..nobody knows the answer to that because Rodgers probably doesn’t know.
These comparasons are interesting but irrelevant….different teams…different coaches…..different persons….different circumsances….different times.
January 27th, 2015 at 8:49 pm
@Nybucsfan The 7 million dollar settlement offer is opinion? Her story changing is opinion?
January 27th, 2015 at 8:55 pm
@RastaMon im sure he was talking about Dilfer
January 27th, 2015 at 9:00 pm
so everyone I’ll repeat what I’ve been saying. NIETHER one is worth the 1st OVERALL pick. We should trade down and pick up the picks. While I’m not a Glennon fan, who knows how he’ll do with a top flight OC. We have the chance to do a Seattle type turnaround. We just need to say no and not reach for either of these guys.
January 27th, 2015 at 9:06 pm
The sad fact of the matter is neither is worthy of the first pick, one is a mid 1st talent the other a 2nd rounder at best and given his other issues probably a gamble even if taken then. The lack of a truly elite QB in this draft has elevated both guys to spots they wouldn’t rate out at if there were a Luck, Manning or Rogers available.
January 27th, 2015 at 9:11 pm
@Flmike
If one is a mid first round talent and the other a 2nd rounder at best…..then who exactly would be trading up with us…..and who would they pick other than a QB?
January 27th, 2015 at 9:16 pm
There is a strong likelyhood that these teams would love to have one of these QBs if the price were right…
Tenn, Eagles, Jets, Bills, Cardinals, Rams, Bears, Texans…..and perhaps even the Broncos,
The Saints would love to have one of these guys to groom.
Its a supply & demand draft for QBs…..large demand….limited supply….
January 27th, 2015 at 9:20 pm
So glad u are a pro scout . With your eyes you should go apply for the bucs. Truth us you don’t have a damn clue what you are talking about. Winston is the consensus number one player coming out. Like it or not. We need a qb. Let me say it again. We need a qb. Anything else and we will be 4 and 12 again and again the following year and the next. You can get line man in the Draft and free agency you cannot get a qb who u build your franchise around.
January 27th, 2015 at 9:43 pm
RastaMon Says:
January 27th, 2015 at 8:06 pm
Hey Joe…why are my comments always waiting Moderation ?
Simple, you were banned a while ago because your had a stretch of comments that were malicious attacks against Joe after repeating warnings. –Joe
I have never maliciously attacked Joe or anyone related to Joe.. Actually, that’s not the case. Joe sees it in his naughty files dated Dec. 3 and Dec. 4. Sorry, but Joe has no complaint department for a reason. Joe is not interested in complaints and attacks. –Joe
January 27th, 2015 at 9:52 pm
I agree with most here. Why on earth would anyone lend credence to a Tony Dungy quarterback endorsement?
January 27th, 2015 at 9:57 pm
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2342580-qb-marcus-mariota-is-no-1-choice-for-bucs-after-koetter-bajakian-hires?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=tampa-bay-buccaneers#articles/2342580-qb-marcus-mariota-is-obvious-no-1-choice-for-bucs-after-koetter-bajakian-hires
Very interesting read with stats
January 27th, 2015 at 10:08 pm
I don’t understand the logic of some Bucs fans. Mike Glennon was a 3rd-rounder who started the fourth game of his rookie season and put up very respectable rookie numbers.
Glennon was the third overall QB taken in his draft class. If he were in this draft class, he’d still likely be the third taken overall.
So, both Mariota and Winston have way bigger upside than Glennon, but we should sit either one of them while they develop?
We don’t need a “bridge” QB for either one of those guys. We are a 2-14 team. Draft Winston or Mariota, and throw him into the fire right away. Either one of them will get better come hell or high water.
If we suffer for eight or nine games, so be it. But the suffering will end a lot quicker if we develop one of these QBs on the field as opposed to on the bench. Koetter knows what needs to be done. We’ll be just fine starting our rook.
January 27th, 2015 at 11:26 pm
Joe give it up I know for a fact the bucs are taking mariota
January 28th, 2015 at 12:25 am
All I want to say is P. Manning/ R. Leaf. A. Luck/ RG3. Bucs better due their homework. Personally I like J. Winston. I know this guy may have a bad rap, but he is fire on the field. Surely he didn’t have the same personel as the year before. He didn’t have K. Benjamin. Same could be said with MM. The offense just fits J. Winston better in my opinion. MM could be the next A. Rogers, but can Bucs fans wait? Can the Glazers wait? I mean they have to see a decline in attendance to the stadium. Hell, I didn’t watch a full Bucs game this year and I consider myself a longtime fan. Heck I live in NY right now for 6 years. Come on home team stop the embarrassment.
January 28th, 2015 at 2:40 am
What if we draft Williams, and Winston starts dropping like Manzeil did last year, then we move up to get him? Im ok with that, it just means O line MUST be addressed in FA and we’ll be saying bye to the possibilities of drafting Scherff, Peat, Cam Irving….etc.
January 28th, 2015 at 2:49 am
Right Senor Mofo, throw a rookie QB to the wolves and ruin him behind our O line while completely dismissing the fact he has to get up to NFL speed. NO WAY! Maybe theyve been sitting Glennon for a reason….to sit and learn and get up to speed. He put 21 on the seahawks, making the score 21-0 before Schiano freaked out and pulled his foot from the throttle. Coaching cost us that game just like it did most games last year. Im still giving Glennon a chance! But I also wanted to give Bennet, Blount, and Tim Wright chances….and they’re in the SB!!!!! smh….
January 28th, 2015 at 4:24 am
@MadMax
Rookie QBs are only “ruined” if they aren’t NFL material to begin with.
Look at the QBs the Bucs have drafted in the first round: Williams, Testaverde, Dilfer, and Freeman.
Winston and Mariota are both hands-down better than any of those guys. They are both imminently more prepared to play the the pro game than any of those guys.
We are building an entirely new offense here, and it will be designed to suit the strengths of our draft pick and transition him into the NFL game.
Start him right away, and never look back. Any other approach is failure.
January 28th, 2015 at 8:14 am
I disagree Senor, not trying to disrespect but if they were to follow your approach, that would be absolute failure. Thankfully, those decisions are in others hands.
January 28th, 2015 at 8:55 am
Hmm… sit Mariota on the bench for a year or draft a kid who belongs sitting in the back of a police car? Hmmmm…. decisions decisions. This really is ridiculous!
It’s like watching a bad horror movie – “no no don’t open that door!” It’s so painfully obvious something very bad is gonna happen yet for some crazy reason the people in the movie are so inclined to ignore the signs and OPEN THE DOOR ANYWAY!
January 28th, 2015 at 10:47 am
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2344695-former-vanderbilt-football-players-found-guilty-on-rape-charges?utm_source=cnn.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=editorial
January 28th, 2015 at 10:56 am
@Buddah
An excellent post!!! I shall trust the Bucs to do their due diligence and decide whether Jameis is da man. But like you it saddens me to see emotional football fans AUTOMATICALLY side with their hero. NOBODY here knows what went on.
Everybody does know it was a horribly botched investigation, in all probability because Tallahassee officials thought they were protecting Jameis.
Sadly they achieved the opposite effect. IF the case had been handled properly from the start it might have actually cleared Jameis…then again perhaps not. We’ll never know. One thing is clear. The poor handling of this case did a disservice to both Jameis AND the young woman.
January 28th, 2015 at 10:56 am
There are more than these two QB in the entire world. Just check out the Pro Bowl and see who you might want to trade for:
http://www.atlantafalcons.com/news/article-1/Ryans-Late-Heroics-Lead-to-Pro-Bowl-Win/6a2c0b8b-6571-42d8-914c-4cd5ebc0a92f
January 28th, 2015 at 11:07 am
What’s with this Father Dungy crap?
January 28th, 2015 at 11:22 am
PRICELESS!!!
Walter White says “sit Mariota for a year or draft a kid who belongs sitting in the back of a police car?
January 28th, 2015 at 12:02 pm
Can those same teams overlook Winston’s expansive off-the-field history?
One veteran defensive coach doesn’t think so, according to Sando:
You either want to draft clones or you stay away from him. He is a Manziel clone in terms of maturity. Remember when Manziel went to Vegas? There is nothing wrong with going to Vegas. We all like going to Vegas. The problem is, he [screwed] it up even worse during the season, getting into fights and all that. Winston and Manziel are different players, but you will not change maturity overnight. You are looking into who is in Jameis’ circle and how big of a change it’s going to be with lots of money and lots of free time—there is lots of free time in the NFL.
January 28th, 2015 at 12:03 pm
Plus, Oregon’s Marcus Mariota and Florida State’s Jameis Winston have been trending down in recent weeks.
As NFL scouts tear into each quarterback’s entire body of work, they’re finding things that called into question their status as elite prospects.
ESPN.com’s Mike Sando reported (subscription required) that at least one “high-ranking personnel evaluator from a team with an established starting quarterback” doesn’t view either prospect as No. 1 overall quality:
What it comes down to is whether these teams picking at the top have the guts to take the best player and call everyone else’s bluff, hoping these guys come back to them in the second round. The reality is that there are two quarterbacks at the top, but no second group, so people are going to push these two up really high, knowing they have to bite the bullet if they want a quarterback.
January 28th, 2015 at 12:04 pm
Philadelphia Eagles head coach Chip Kelly marveled at the quarterback’s computer-like mind during a pre-national championship interview with ESPN, per CBS Philly’s Andrew Porter:
It’s like PhD level stuff he was doing as a true freshman. That’s how his mind works. To have someone that thinks that well, thinks like a Peyton Manning, but has that athletic ability where he can beat you with his arm, he can beat you with his leg, it’s a special package. And obviously, the season he had, it’s one for the ages this year.
As athletics as he is, when you look at him—he may arguably be the fastest guy on the field tonight—but his mind is even faster.
You gotta have a guy that can process it at a real fast speed and that’s what Marcus can do better than anyone in the country.
While the effusive praise comes from Mariota’s former coach, it seems to be a perfect blending of what Koetter wants and what the Ducks quarterback brings to the table.
January 28th, 2015 at 12:05 pm
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2329488-can-buccaneers-afford-to-pass-on-a-top-qb-prospect-in-2015-draft
Bucs can’t afford to pass on a top QB
“The right quarterback is available atop April’s NFL draft, and general manager Jason Licht shouldn’t take long to submit the team’s pick once Tampa Bay is officially on the clock.
Anything other than a selection of a quarterback with this year’s No. 1 overall pick should be considered a failure.”
January 28th, 2015 at 12:18 pm
Hey Joe, next time you and Steve Deuming are arguing about Jameis, remind him that even Payton Manning had sexual assault allegations when he was at Tennessee!!! LOOK IT UP!!!
January 28th, 2015 at 12:49 pm
[…] (or) four years in Green Bay, and now he’s arguably the best quarterback in football," Dungy told joebucsfan.com. "But I think Marcus has a lot of the same skill set. He has the same drive and determination. […]
January 28th, 2015 at 1:10 pm
I would not mind the Packers picking him up and then have him sit a couple of seasons behind Rodgers.
January 28th, 2015 at 1:37 pm
[…] Super Bowl Media Day, JoeBucsFan.com caught up with Dungy to ask him about his high praise of the Oregon Ducks quarterback in comparison […]
January 28th, 2015 at 2:10 pm
tony dungy thought josh freeman was an extraordinary young man too. not discrediting him, but if i had a pick of following his recommendations at any position on the field, QB is one of the last i’d heed his advice on. if the feeling is that both JW and MM must sit the bench, i suppose i would trust mariotta more with the kind of free time a backup QB has. if we’re talking about a guy starting early in his career, possibly week 1, then i think Jameis will be focused on football and ready to go so long as he is “the guy”
January 28th, 2015 at 2:42 pm
Leonard Williams + GMC = Championships
January 28th, 2015 at 3:11 pm
Shaun King, Joe Hamilton, and Jim Sorgi are the only reasons not to listen to Dungy about drafting a QB.
January 28th, 2015 at 3:20 pm
For those that want to bash Freeman for his meltdown that is fine, but coming out of college he was just fine and he performed well at the NFL level. I don’t know why he had a meltdown I don’t know what his issue was that year, but the previous years he was just fine. To base one year on his career is asinine.
January 28th, 2015 at 5:08 pm
Anybody who doesn’t believe neither one is a first round pick might remember Tom Brady was picked 199 overall…the Buds need a QB for the future and now is our best chance to get one
January 28th, 2015 at 5:17 pm
Coach Dungy also said he would take Tebow in the first round. He also said he would take RGIII over Andrew Luck.
January 28th, 2015 at 6:01 pm
“What’s with this Father Dungy crap?”
I think it arose out of respect for his impeccable character. We can say what we want about his football ideas but the man is as classy a character as the NFL has ever seen walk the sidelines.
While I hate “dungyball” I truly admire “Father” Dungy. He is a GREAT man!
January 28th, 2015 at 6:34 pm
So Father Dungy and Chucky both love Mariotta and praise him constantly. One Coach who built our team and another Coach who won a Superbowl with previous Coaches players. I have watched both QBs play almost every game of their careers in college. Jameis isn’t on Mariotta’s level when it comes to decision making and playmaking ability. Both coaches realize that. Lets hope L&L do as well.
And someone made the statement “who would come out and stand up for Shameis?” No one so far…don’t really see that changing either. Prima Donas usually don’t have too many real friends and allies.
January 28th, 2015 at 8:44 pm
They’re both good and they’ll both likely produce on the field. The question for the Bucs if they think both represent #1 talent isn’t who’s better it’s what kind of offense do you want to run. The brothers really wanted Chip Kelly if that tells you anything. So what’s happened to change that?
January 28th, 2015 at 9:16 pm
I am a Colts fan and just recently read an article in which Tony stated that he would have chosen Robert Griffin over Andrew Luck.
SO let’s hope Tony has no input there for the Bucs.
Good luck.
January 29th, 2015 at 12:45 am
@ Skyline Crew
I love your post about Mariotta’s computer like brain. Being able to dissect a Defense in less than 5 seconds is unbelievable.
And Dungy may have made some bad or questionable QB choices in the past. But for 2 seasons he has watched this kid practice and play games almost everyday. He knows him inside and out. And you can obviously tell his favorite trait is character off the field. Leader of Men or Raper of Women???
January 29th, 2015 at 4:53 pm
I have a couple questions, first is a quarterback like Connor Cook, Gunner Kiel, JT Barret or another prospect in next years draft more highly rated than either Jameis or Mariota? If so my next question is why not just get one of the top flight offensive or defensive linemen with this pick(assuming we can’t trade down) and just tank next year for the better franchise quarterback? I know thia wouldn’t rate is very high on the morality charts but if it is for the greater good of the franchise why shouldn’t his atleast be considered. NBA franchises do it every single year and yet their GM’s are sometimes referred to as engineers or masterminds when the frat is pulled off correctly. It’s just something I’ve thought about given the drastic amount of needs our team needs to address.
January 29th, 2015 at 4:57 pm
I have a couple questions, first is a quarterback like Connor Cook, Gunner Kiel, JT Barret or another prospect in next years draft more highly rated than either Jameis or Mariota? If so my next question is why not just get one of the top flight offensive or defensive linemen with this pick(assuming we can’t trade down) and just tank next year for the better franchise quarterback? I know this wouldn’t rate us very high on the morality charts but if it is for the greater good of the franchise why shouldn’t this atleast be considered. NBA franchises do it every single year and yet their GM’s are sometimes referred to as engineers or masterminds when the feat is pulled off correctly. It’s just something I’ve thought about given the drastic amount of needs our team needs to address.
Sorry for double post autocorrect screwed up my last one
January 29th, 2015 at 10:16 pm
It will be Mariota with the first pick. So many Seminole fans wants the bucs to take Winston. From a football fan’s view Mariota will be the pick. Maybe he might not be the franchise quarterback but with a year under McCown I see this happening. With Winston ‘saccuser coming forward in the open when she sues him not if but when, it will be a distraction and the first question in every press conference will be about Winston and his past. This team is rebuilding. In today’s society it goes by the word retooling. I don’t see Lovie and Licht wanting to defend Winston in every presser. All Seminole alumni’sBrooks, Shaun King and others want Winston. Winston may be a great quarterback one day but he has to get the off field issues past him. The bucs organization will look at character with this pick that is why they hired Lovie. He is a member from Dungy’s old staff and they were big on character.
February 9th, 2015 at 8:54 pm
I respect Tony Dungy. He is a good coach and a good person. As a coach, he likes players that demonstrate character and talent. Mariota displays both.
Winston belongs in the class with Manziel, kapernick, Rice, Sapp, etc.
Critics like McShay, Dilfer think Mariota is not NFL ready, that he lacks the pro-style, drop-back technique that Winston possesses. That may be true in college. But Mariota learns fast. Like Peyton Manning, Drew Brees, Aaron Rodgers, he is an astute student of the game.
The Bucs would be foolish to pass on Mariota. He’s the best thing that’s come along for the Bucs in a long, long time.