http://mattwaldmanrsp.com/2015/04/06/eric-stoner-on-marcus-mariota/ Good read to get a sense of what some experienced scouts are seeing when they scout Mariota.
A good read but a LOT of psychobabble thrown in there that Mariota-haters are going to start throwing around like "I've always noticed he has disjointed pre/snap and post/snap recognition" and "You can't help but notice how task oriented he is--I've always preferred an intuitive/creative problem solver at quarterback" and "wholly crap is his integrity under duress suspect". Based off of 3 plays. Btw, months ago I likened him to a stronger armed more mobile more athletic Matt Ryan and was mocked for it. Which really hurt my feelings, but I feel somewhat better for it now. _
LOL Did they give him a Briggs-Meyers test? He strikes me as an ENTJ personality type. Those people suck.
Very good piece, and it was most definitely better than the "system QB" junk that the talking heads on ESPN and on NFL Network have tossed around over the last few months. I do believe that Mariota's pocket presence is one area where he needs to immensly improve and I also think Matt Ryan was a more advanced passer than Mariota coming out of Boston College, but if the Jets do draft Mariota and he's a Matt Ryan Caliber QB (hopefully with more playoff success ), I'd take that any day of the week. And if he is drafted by the Jets, I don't think it would be fair to label him with the "saviour" tag; he's a young QB who needs developing and I hope Jets fans realize this.
Interesting read. It's nice to read an article that understands at least some football vernacular. When watching Mariota with Gruden I didnt feel I learned too much. This article pretty much articulates how I've felt about Mariota for a while. He isnt ready to play in the NFL. Like the author states, these arent fatal flaws, but they are serious flaws. He has the ability to fix these flaws. - Bails on plays much too early. This was a flaw of his before this article, and the article backs that up. Seems like if the play doesnt develop fast enough for him, than he panics a bit and takes off. That can be learned and developed. Coaches need to teach him to stay in the pocket and let his receivers utilize their entire routes. - Footwork is bad. Maybe unpolished is a better word. Again, something he can probably learn, but he doesnt have now. - Decision Making is good. He wont be a turnover machine at this level. He has fantastic touch on his passes. - Great head on his shoulders. If he ends up not developing the necessary skills to play QB, it wont be because of his IQ. - Pretty good tools. Elite athleticism and a decent arm. I question whether or not he can really zip the ball in there. He'll need to be able to in NY. So he definitely needs to sit. I dont know if there is a finite amount of time he needs to learn, but if he is thrown to the wolves we'd be doing him and the team a disservice.
That guy put in work in regards to that video, pretty much a lot of the things I've said in the past - Doesn't have that patience in the pocket you want right now. - Questionable footwork - Good accuracy; decent arm [great touch though] He's def a work in progress, but he does some things that you like as a QB. However, the #1 stigma is the pocket, that's been the discussion for some time now. Until he learns to perform efficiently w/in the pocket, he won't be a great NFL QB. His IQ suggests he will practice this, first and foremost. It is the way to prolong his career. However, I've seen good QBs come and go that seem to never get it. Couldn't tell you why. I like the touch on his throws though, that's where the Geno / Kaepernick comparisons stop right away.
With regard to your first point, since Oregon's offense was a fast-paced offense, how did the scout know (or us for that matter) that Mariota wasn't coached to go ahead and run if the first couple of reads weren't there? Considering his speed and athleticism, that wouldn't be out of the question. We've also seen in other film and game action, that even when Mariota leaves the pocket his eyes are still downfield and most of the time he's looking to throw first. I'm not saying that he won't have some adjustments or work that needs to be done in this area, but I just wanted to point out that what the scout sees as a "flaw" in Mariota's game may not have been a flaw at all at Oregon. It may be the way he was coached. I would have to dispute his claims of unpolished or poor footwork. If you've seen Mariota play at all, you see how his feet are quick and agile, and he is usually very good and pretty consistent with setting or re-setting his feet even when throwing on the run. Again, I'm sure his footwork will need some work at taking snaps from under center and then taking his drops, but I don't expect him to have many problems at all in this area. While I think he probably needs to sit for a while, I can't say that he definitely needs to sit. Even with his flaws, he could still blow Geno and Fitz out of the water. It would probably benefit him to sit, and I would prefer it, but he could surprise everyone and be ready to play day one.
Sure, I dont know what Oregon's offense wanted him to do with regards to bailing and running. Maybe they wanted him to run before finding open receivers down field. I doubt it, but maybe. But what I know is that he hasnt done it, and I have not been given a reason to believe that he can. Maybe its not a "flaw" per se, but it is a huge question mark. This just sounds like an excuse to be honest. I can only evaluate what I am watching. I will not give him the benefit of the doubt because he is a high IQ player. Quick and agile feet does not equal great footwork. I've never questioned his athleticism. Stepping up into the pocket incorrectly like he did in that video are the kind of things I meant. Getting skittish and dancing around when he is under duress. Maybe that falls under pocket presence, and not footwork. That is what my issue is. I agree that he throws well on the run. And while I have questions about his arm strength is suitable for NY. So because he can beat out two crap QB's, we should throw him out there despite clearly not being ready? That is exactly how you fail your team and a QB. And it just seems like conjecture on your part. Sure he could have an amazing camp and be the next Tom Brady. Once again, I can only evaluate what I have seen. And that is a QB who does not look ready (yet) to be an NFL player.
Mariota's arm, IMO, is on par with Sanchez's and Sanchez had the arm strength necessary to succeed in NY(His arm is stronger than Chad' s was). Arm Strength can be improved and Mariota has a solid arm, I don't see that becoming a problem at the next level.
Yea maybe. But I havent seen too much film of him really firing a ball. He throws a nice accurate ball, but there is rarely much zip on it. Doesnt mean he cant do, its just something I havent seen much of.
Interesting, but I take issue with the guy's analysis. In fact, I think he's a dumbass. Here's just one example. In the third play he diagnoses, he says that "Mariota opens up to the right and reacts to his space getting compressed off the right edge. He drops his eyes, panics, and declares himself a runner. He steps into a more compressed area of the pocket, which results in a sack just as the primary dig route comes open." I say BS. The pressure was coming hard and fast from the right, by what looks to be a blitzer against a RB. Mariota attempted to step up in the pocket as QBs are coached to do. It looks as if his right arm came up and he was going to attempt to throw, but either saw the receiver wasn't open yet or was hit, and pulled his arm in and took the sack. The problem on this play was that the pocket was in the process of collapsing. There was pressure coming up the middle and from the left. Mariota didn't have time to wait for the dig route to come open. Now when he first felt the pressure from the right, he could have immediately rolled to his left rather than stepping up in the pocket, and perhaps have then found an open receiver, but I'm sure that some hack would criticize him for not stepping up in the pocket. I can't fault Mariota for that. To say he "panicked" is assinine. He had to make a quick, split-second decision under duress. He tried to do the right thing by stepping up in the pocket and finding a receiver, but then immediately saw that the pocket was collapsing. At that point, there was nowhere to go. At some point, you have to give the D credit for making a good play and criticize his OL and RB for not doing a better job blocking and protecting the pocket. He also didn't stay square to the LOS but for a split second. As he moved left, his body turned to the left and his arm came up like he was going to throw the ball. I'd like to see that play in slow motion, but imo it looks like this hack totally misread this play. He compounds his mistake by pointing out how Mariota moves where the red arrow is pointing into a more confined area instead of moving to his right, but ignores the fact that the pass rusher to the right has beaten his man and is coming clear to hit Mariota. I can't believe that any QB in that situation is going to be able to keep his eyes downfield 100% of the time. He has to look to see where he's going and where the rushers are when there are that many bodies in a confined space. Better opportunity to the right my ass. He has a defender within a step or two behind him and defender 3-4 steps in front of him coming clear. There is nowhere to go on this play imo. Sometimes the best thing you can do is just take the sack and not make a mistake trying to do too much. Faced with a choice of trusting my OL or my RB to make a block, I'd probably do the exact same thing and trust my OL particularly since the RB was already beaten on the play which caused Mariota to have to move evasively to begin with. His using a pejorative term like "task-oriented" or saying that Mariota has negative pocket integrity is BS. This guy doesn't know his ass from a hole in the ground. Trying to throw while being sacked is a recipe for disaster, not taking the sack. His comments about pre-snap and post-snap recognition are just more "noise" and BS trying to make it look like he knows what he's talking about. Most of the time QBs are coached to run the play that is called. Only when they call an audible at the LOS due to their reading of the D or when the play breaks down do they usually change it. The QBs who free-wheel it usually get into trouble with their own CSs as well as on the field. Mariota is disciplined. Criticizing him for this is stupid. It's like the difference between a RB who takes what the D is giving him and will get positive yardage and the RB who is constantly changing directions, running backwards trying to hit a home run on every play. More often than not, those guys wind up losing yardage and hurting their team. You can't hit a homerun on every play. Sometimes plays are run a specific way to set up another play. This guy is criticizing Mariota without having benefit of knowing what the game plan was, what the OC or HC had in mind by calling this play or anything. On the next play to say the NT only had a small push is flat out wrong imo. He tries to claim that Mariota had room to run right, but he didn't. The NT is moving to his left and the only clear direction was to his left, but the defender (DE?) got clear of his blocker and made a great play forcing Mariota deep. Mariota did a good job to get to the sideline and throw the ball away. Almost every QB get extremely uncomfortable when they get pressured and hit. Mariota's OL wasn't very good, which doesn't help matters at all.
I didn't say that they wanted him to run before finding open receivers. You have a penchant for twisting one's words. With their poor OL, in order to keep him healthy, his CS may have told him that if his first couple of reads aren't open when feeling heavy pressure, then take off and get positive yardage rather than stand there holding the ball and getting sacked or throwing the ball away. He almost always got positive yardage with his feet. Mariota occasionally has some problems with this footwork when throwing the ball. He needs to get more consistent, and perhaps refine it somewhat, but it is not a frequent or big problem I also didn't say that he should be thrown out there if he's not ready. Don't put words in my mouth. For him to beat out Fitz and Geno, imo, he would have to be "ready" and his flaws be minimalized. I've seen Mariota play enough to know that the criticisms this hack levels are largely BS. That doesn't mean there isn't a grain of truth in what the hack says, but I think he goes way overboard and is wrong in his analysis of the last two plays.
I'm just saying you have no proof or empirical evidence for anything you are saying. Sure you can say that you watched him play, but we all did at this point. Everything you're saying could be correct, but we have no clue. I'm only evaluating based on what I have watched. I'm not giving Mariota the benefit of the doubt nor am I discrediting him. I see an extremely talented player with a penchant for bailing on plays too quickly. Could it be by design? I guess. But why comment on something we have no information to support us. Great decision making, great head on his shoulders. His pocket presence leaves a lot to be desired. Based on his film I see him as a raw flawed player with a high ceiling. Maybe there is a valid reason for each flaw. But without any evidence why would I believe that. I'm just saying you have no proof or empirical evidence for anything you are saying. Sure you can say that you watched him play, but we all did at this point. Everything you're saying could be correct, but we have no clue. I'm only evaluating based on what I have watched. I'm not giving Mariota the benefit of the doubt nor am I discrediting him. I see an extremely talented player with a penchant for bailing on plays too quickly. Could it be by design? I guess. But why comment on something we have no information to support us. Great decision making, great head on his shoulders. His pocket presence leaves a lot to be desired. Based on his film I see him as a raw flawed player with a high ceiling. Maybe there is a valid reason for each flaw. But without any evidence why would I believe that.
A distinction needs to be made between maybe fleeing the pocket too early and bailing out on a play to run. Mariota, like a lot of QBs with the ability to run is guilty of the former. However, I would not accuse him of the latter. If anything, one of the things he needs to work on is not getting too invested on a play, which is the complete opposite of bailing. When he escapes the pocket because of pressure or perceived pressure he generally keeps his eyes down field, which is great; however, that's when you'll also see the normally conservative Mariota take unnecessary risks, like throw across his body into the middle of the field. I think because he's bought himself some extra time he becomes completely invested and feels to need to complete the play. He needs to understand that a broken play is not always a big play. Sometimes it's a 1 yard run, short pass to the flat or throw away.
Sign this practically if wasn't for my feet NFL ready but I have the best touch on the ball, watch me play under center, Blue Chip, Heisman Winning, I am smarter than Geno, beast!
I didn't post or shower for 3 days. Finished off a litre of vodka out of a plastic bottle and I ONLY drink Belvedere. _
If we can get him I hope we do, if not take whichever of the two receivers is still there and hope Fitzpatrick is healthy..nothing else.
Just like many here I've read a bunch of mocks and related analyses. I can't get a strong feel that Mariota is even a decent shot to fall to 6, and have no idea that the Jets will try to trade up for him. Not sure if the Tits will take him, but DC is a better shot, and between the two that leaves rather slim odds he falls to 6, and of course someone else like Oakland could trade out of their spot. But if he does, imo the Jets have to take him. Not sure what else is worth saying at this point, this being a point in the off season when things definitely drag. Lucky for me I am travelling most of this month. Not to hurt anyone's feelings, but I don't thikn about this place all that much in the off season when I am travelling.
