For his sake, the team that drafts him (unless it's the Cowpokes, Bills Patriots or Dolphins), and the NFL's sake (not enough good QBs), I hope you're right that it's just immaturity. I'm not sure that it is. If it is and he grows up, he should become a star.
Ruston Webster, Titans GM, in his pre draft presser may have had the ultimate Floydian Slip and none of the Titans beat writers caught it. When asked about how draft day will work logistically he said the following: "We have the scouts in there, Ken, myself. It usually kind of gets tense as the pick gets closer. We’ll have a group of six players, usually. As I said, it’ll be a little easier with the second pick, that we’re working off of, and if I need the scouts’ input, I’ll call them over and ask them what they think…" Why would you have 6 players on your board when you have the 2nd overall pick? Unless you'll be picking 6 maybe? If you watch the presser, you can see where he caught himself and followed the bold up with "usually" after a brief pause.
With the second pick in the draft the New York Jets select Leonard Williams Defensive End from the University of Southern California.
thats a big reach. no matter where you pick you have tough choices. Six is just a number he threw out. If you are picking 2nd or 132nd you might have a list of six of so guys you are choosing from at the spot. That's how I read it.
At first I believed the idea that the Titans could feasibly pick Mariota for themselves, but these last 3 days they have been smokescreening way way too hard. First Wiz says he will "adopt some spread elements" for Mariota, and everyone who knows him called BS on that. Then the GM says that the "opportunity to get a franchise QB supersedes everything" There have been a couple other quotes these last 3 days about how much they love Mariota. They're coming on way too strongly about it. I think it's pretty obvious that at this point they're trying to hype him up as much as possible to get a maximum return. They should've been more subtle.
Also, Jason cole reported that it's becoming more and more likely that the Titans stay at 2 and pick MM. If you follow bleacher report, you know that things usually happen in the exact opposite way that Jason Cole reports them.
It's all good. I appreciate the info/insights. For those of you who are old enough, you might appreciate the following. When I read "Floydian slip" I thought of Floyd on the old Andy Griffith show.
I tend to agree that they won't pick him and that it seems pretty obvious they are trying to build a trade market but the reality is that that trade market likely will exist whether they played these cards (poorly) or not. So he could still be gone before 6th but I doubt the Titans pick him. They could pick him and then trade him as well, though. I think it just seems like a wasted pick for them to take him. They would either prefer to shore up their defence or trade back and get a number of assets and hopefully fill a few holes.
1) I would not do it unless we are trading a player for the pick. (i.e. Wilkerson for #2) 2) I think it would take at a minimum #6 and next years first rounder to move up to #2 regarding wilkerson, i only would move him for #2 if we trade him cause we thinking signing him to what he wants is a bad move longterm/cap wise and we go up to get leonard williams. i wouldnt move up to 2 for mariotta. im not against picking him if he falls to 6, but i dont go get him
Jim Wyatt@jwyattsports 5m5 minutes ago In addition to Browns and Eagles, I've heard the #Jets (6th pick) and #Rams (10th) have also been in discussions with #Titans.