The trade to get Mark like you said was a good deal considering what they gave up. Tanny made a good trade. Everything was great except for one thing: the guy they traded up for.
He sees the field but does not anticipate well thus far in his development. For the basis of comparison, he sees the field better than Geno but struggles with anticipating just the same though he has a much quicker release which compensates a bit for the lack of anticipation. Mostly all of Oregon's reads are simple and meant to be quick. For the reads he is asked to make, he makes them quickly. Yes and yes. Very rarely does he force the ball so very rarely does he fail in that department which is I think both good and bad. Good in that he is careful with the ball. Bad in that it speaks somewhat to his sub par anticipatory skills. Windows get even tighter in the NFL, he's yet to display the willingness and ability to get the ball in those small areas through arm strength and anticipation. EDIT: I think a more athletic Alex Smith is his floor. Not sure what his ceiling is because I can't think of any other QB hat has been able to put it all together while possessing his rare combination of size, athletic ability, arm talent and intangibles. If he pans out, the sky is the limit really.
No, you haven't seen Mariota throw the ball into tight windows. Did you watch the NC game? Go back, watch Oregon's RZ opportunities. Cook, while inaccurate has the ability to make ALL of the throws at the NFL level. Mariota misses throws as well, let's be serious here Mariota misses on intermediate and vertical throws also - happens more than it should in that Oregon system. You know where the receiver is wide open down the field? You want to talk completion %? Let's do that - Russel Wilson completed 59.3% of his passes in 2009 and 58.4% of his passes in 2010, it took until his senior year to crack 60% in Wisconsin's offense. So I guess Wilson wouldn't be successful at the next level because of his completion %? Cook still has another yr and he's improved every year so let's see what happens. Talent is great, but if you can't make pre-snap, post-snap reads, questionable ball placement skills then in reality you got some issues that need some major re-tooling. Cook can do all of the 3 things I just mentioned, he can win in the pocket. Everyone is talented at the next level, but there are other factors that make a QB successful. Talent isn't everything. You can't always learn a system, let alone MASTER it like you said Mariota would do after his first year. Give me a break. In regards to your bold, uh yes fixing footwork fixes your accuracy ... are you crazy? Like I said, Cook can do plenty of things Mariota cannot do - and I have mentioned those time and time again. At times, Cook doesn't set his feet, his lower body is all over the place, he throws across his body. Those things are fixable and once those are fixed, he's going to be a complete QB in regards to being a pocket passer.
So now you're comparing Cook to Russell Wilson? I may need a new sig. I have seen Mariota do everything Cook has done and more. Cook does not have the physical capabilities to do everything Mariota can do. And Mariota's ball placement skills dwarf Cook's--he puts every throw where it needs to be--tight window or not. Cook misses even the easy throws. Not on the same planet in terms of talent. But he takes snaps from under center so he's got that going for him. _
The point is just because you complete less then 60% of your passes doesn't mean you will automatically be mediocre at the NFL level. What #s you put up in college don't mean shit at the next level. So not only do you have selective reading issues, you have a comprehension one too No, you haven't seen Mariota do everything Cook has done and more because Mariota has never ran the pro offense - therefore what you said is a lie. I've been watching Mariota just as long as you have and believe me, the man can't throw in tight windows. In addition to the tape, read the scouting reports they all say the same thing. But OK you continue to have that blind faith of yours.
Connor Cook is an inferior talent but takes snaps from center. Mariota can do EVERYTHING else. I've seen the tight window throws and I've seen a wildly inaccurate Cook. I don't need to read reports-I use my eyes. Connor Cook and Russell Wilson. Lol. _
I bet Stevie Wonder sees the same thing you see when you watch Mariota. If Mariota can do EVERYTHING, why isn't he getting the same love as Winston? Seems to me, his stock is dropping by the week. Lol - you ain't see Mariota throw into tight windows.
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap30...riffin-iii-from-baylor-days-in-marcus-mariota I like Charles Davis too as an analyst. But you got access to all 22 cameras so surely you know more.
So just because a receiver isn't wide open means you are throwing into a tight window? How many of those completions were short bubble screens to the perimeter?
I never said he won't thrive. Did I say Mariota would be a guaranteed bust? History tells me, he's got a chance, but that chance ain't very high.
Mariota DOES make pre-snap reads and some rudimentary post snap reads? That being the case is it really a matter of "retooling"? Isn't it more of an exposure issue? IMO he's not a player that needs to rehabilitated or retaught how to play the position a la Tebow. He's just one that has to add to what he already knows and mastered. One might he is a bit of a, Stokes' favorite description, "raw prospect". Also, saying Mariota can't do something and Cook can is a highly inaccurate; the more accurate statement is that Mariota HASn't and Cook HAS done whatever. In fact if we're talking about what one CAN that the other CAN'T, it's the reverse. It's Mariota that CAN outrun LBs and even some DBs because of his rare speed for the position while Cook simply CAN'T. It's Mariota that CAN with his agility by time in the pocket to extend plays while Cook CAN'T do the same.
No, he doesn't make pre-snap reads (please show proof if this is not the case). DEFINITELY not post-snap reads. Yes, this is a case of having to have to re-tooling his game to adapt to the NFL level, what he did in Oregon, he can't do that shit in the NFL so you are going to have to re-teach him how to play QB at the NFL level. First bold part is BS btw, tons of things Mariota must learn for the first time. Hence this makes him a project (or aka raw prospect). You can't trout him out there day one. You can't trout him out there week 16 neither. Mariota cannot throw into tight windows, he def doesn't have the deep ball strength like Cook does. Your statement is completely inaccurate. Both do things that the other cannot do - which I already said previously if you read my post. BTW in regards to scrambling, it's obvious you haven't seen Bobby Wagner play. You ever seen Kaepernick try and scramble against the Seahawks? Yeah Good luck with that. Same with Luke from Carolina - a lot of these linebackers have gotten faster. Clowney is actually faster then Johnny Manziel if you remember the draft process. Cook is pretty decent in the pocket, he can move around and extend plays.
