Oregon Ducks quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota has declared himself for the upcoming NFL Draft, ditching on his senior season in Eugene to go pro. The decision comes only days after losing to Ohio State and is no surprise, considering he already received his degree from the university.
“After meeting with my family I have decided to forgo my final year of eligibility and apply for the 2015 NFL draft. My four years at the University of Oregon have been an awesome experience. I cannot thank Coach Kelly, Coach Helfrich, Coach Frost, the rest of the Oregon coaches and the support staff enough for molding me as a person, player and student-athlete. The support I received from the university, the city of Eugene and Duck fans has been tremendous. I will always remember the great times and support I received. Once a Duck always a Duck. I will miss being with my teammates. Being a part of this team was something special that I will always treasure.”
There is speculation that his stock might have dropped after the College National Championship, with questions on whether he can throw in the red zone and if he can adapt to the NFL speed after being in a college system. As scouts saw in the game, he did not perform well under pressure and with limited weapons, but still showed ability to scramble. Some still project he will be the number one overall pick by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, with Mel Kiper Jr. predicting he goes Top 10 due to his pocket passer awareness and not being to make accurate throws that’s necessary at the pro level.
In his college career, Mariota broke Pac 12 records and is only the fourth quarterback in college football history to pass for 10,000 yards and run for more than 2,000.
OS REWIND: Marcus Mariota Wins 2014 Heisman Trophy