Pre-Season Scouting Report- Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon
By Dan Matney
2014 Schedule
| Sat, Aug. 30 | vs. South Dakota |
| Sat, Sept. 6 | vs. Michigan State |
| Sat, Sept. 13 | vs. Wyoming |
| Sat, Sept. 20 | at Washington State |
| Thu, Oct. 2 | vs. Arizona |
| Sat, Oct. 11 | at UCLA |
| Sat, Oct. 18 | vs. Washington |
| Fri, Oct. 24 | at Cal |
| Sat, Nov. 1 | vs. Stanford |
| Sat, Nov. 8 | at Utah |
| Sat, Nov. 22 | vs. Colorado |
| Sat, Nov. 29 | at Oregon State |
Notable Games
- Michigan State
Mariota’s first real test of the 2014 season will come on September 6 when they face off against former Big Ten and Rose Bowl champion Michigan State. The Spartans boasted the best most efficient pass defense in the nation last season. One of the biggest weapons from last season’s secondary, Darqueze Dennard, is gone to the NFL, but Michigan State’s secondary, led by Kurtis Drummond and Trae Waynes, paired with two solid defensive ends (Marcus Rush and Shilique Calhoun) will give Mariota the closest look to a NFL defense he’ll see all season.
More from NFL Draft News
- 2024 NFL Draft: Prospect Viewing Guide for Week 0
- 2024 NFL Draft: All Eyes On NFL Draft Defensive Prospects
- Player Spotlight: USC Safety Calen Bullock
- 2024 Senior Bowl Watchlist Announced
- 2024 NFL Draft: Florida State is Loaded with Prospect in 2023
- Washington
Mariota will get another look against a Huskies team that he threw for 366 yards and three touchdowns against last season. He also added 88 yards and a touchdown on the ground. Washington has one of the 2015 draft’s rising prospects, defensive tackle Danny Shelton, and he will be sure to make life a little more difficult than usual for Mariota.
- Stanford
As was the case when these two teams met up last season, this year’s showcase of Stanford vs. Oregon is sure to be one of the most entertaining games of the season. Stanford’s smash mouth defense will face the task of shutting down Oregon’s high-powered offense, which they did well until the Ducks’ fourth quarter comeback fell six points short last season.
System Fit
Mariota would fit best in a shotgun-heavy, spread-oriented system that focuses on three receivers sets. He has limited experience taking snaps under center because of Oregon running almost all of their plays through the shotgun formation. In his time at college, he had the luxury of playing for Chip Kelly, who is in the process of revolutionizing the offense in the NFL. Teams that stick out the most are the Philadelphia Eagles, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and the St. Louis Rams, although a number of factors could change between now and draft day.
Draft Projection
As of right now, Mariota looks to be a sure-fire early first round pick, if not the first overall pick. He has all of the makings to be a franchise signal-caller and, depending on the talent around him, Mariota could step into a situation and help them become a competitor right away.
The clips were provided by Draftbreakdown.com