Inside A Mariota Interivew
February 23rd, 2015
Chris Landry went from Browns and Titans scout/personnel guy to media dude and draft consultant for various NFL teams. So Landry was at the NFL Scouting Combine studying prospects and joining team interviews of players last week.
He shared some of his experience watching Marcus Mariota work a room and get grilled, via CBS Sports Radio.
In short, Landry is in love.
“Everybody’s going to see players a little different,” Landry said. “Everybody is going to put greater emphasis on certain things than others. I actually was in a couple of the interviews . . . with Mariota. He’s phenomenal. I mean, he’s going to impress you. He is well-spoken, he’s bright, he’s humble. He walks into the meeting – you guys would be impressed.”
Landry was present for two of Mariota’s interviews. Mariota walked into the room both times and knew the names of every coach and executive in attendance.
“You could tell he had done his homework,” Landry said. “He had questions for them, and he did a good job. One team drew up a play – one of their plays, not an Oregon play – and then proceeded with the interview. Towards the end of it, they asked him to draw up the play that was explained about eight minutes ago, and he was flawless with it. He’s very, very good. He’s going to do a great job with that.
“So listen, if you’re looking for someone that is clean, that’s got transferrable skills, that has the ability to be able to learn, he’s going to measure with high marks there.”
Word on the street is Jameis Winston is wowing in these same private interviews. (And Mike Mayock had the nerve a week ago to say the Bucs are not in an enviable position.)
Again, Joe’s greatest fear is the QBs’ value will skyrocket, and Lovie Smith will be tempted to trade the No. 1 overall pick for a massive bounty to, say, the Jets, or one of the many quarterback-starved teams smart enough to draft Winston or Mariota.
February 23rd, 2015 at 8:08 am
A massive trade with the Jets would be PERFECT !!!!
February 23rd, 2015 at 8:16 am
He won’t last until 6. I want this kid, am cool with Jameis as well but Mariota is still my guy. You have to stay in the top 2 to get either, that is the consensus after this weekend.
February 23rd, 2015 at 8:18 am
We are not trading the pick. I imagine the Jets may trade with Tenn to get him though.
February 23rd, 2015 at 8:23 am
Like I’ve already said, He’s got everything Winston has and more. Plus he has no off field issues! Mariota!
February 23rd, 2015 at 8:31 am
Except the ability to play elite qb in the NFL.
February 23rd, 2015 at 8:37 am
These guys are going 1 and 2.
Take Mariotta, don’t look back.
February 23rd, 2015 at 8:41 am
He is the smarter choice
February 23rd, 2015 at 8:42 am
“You could tell he had done his homework,” Landry said.”
they’ve all done their homework and it’s one thing to be able to prepare and get ready for games and it’s another for a rookie with bullets are flying and your getting smashed because this offensive line cant block anybody. I like mariotta too but just not for the bucs, I haven’t seen any of these spread option quarterback being successful when the bullets start to fly. if Russell Wilson is your comparison then ok fine he would be a one in a 37 year wonder lol because In the last 37 years Russell Wilson was the only successful one, just just screams kordell stewart to me and lovie needs to go with what he knows, you can look over Winston’s entire 2 year college career and see what your getting theres no projecting theres no guessing no wonder if he can do a 3-5 step drop because you’ve seen it
February 23rd, 2015 at 8:47 am
Keep raising the bounty.
With trade of this magnitude, you can forge a competitively deep….EVENLY developed ROSTER.
Perennial contenders here we come baby
February 23rd, 2015 at 8:53 am
Russel Wilson did not play in a spread offense
in college! Jeez!
February 23rd, 2015 at 8:54 am
“In the last 37 years Russell Wilson was the only successful one,”
yeah…and once upon a time there was no forward passing in football.
If you can not see the trend in NFL football you are doomed to be the last kid standing at a 5 year old’s birthday party playing musical chairs.
Mariota IS the prototypical NFL QB….Winston is the last dinosaur.
“Running QB”…Mariota uses his speed smartly,unlike Vick and RG3….if you watch his runs he knowns when the slide or go out of bounds and he does it EARLY. Unlike Vick and RG3 who tried to make the high light replays.
The NFL is doing everything in it’s power to make the game more exciting and Mariota is exactly what they want to see.
February 23rd, 2015 at 8:59 am
He’s got everything WINSton has and more but I continue seeing fotmer nfl QBs breakdown his film and expose major flaws on national television. The biggest is his inability to make second reads on a common basis. If the kid end up in a similiar situation as Wilson,top 5 defesen along with a top 10 running game he has chance. If not any other situation with the exception of philly of coures will result inaverage at best results.
February 23rd, 2015 at 9:01 am
Regardless of how many nfl personnel’s names he’s memorize.
February 23rd, 2015 at 9:06 am
Yesterday I was convinced the pick should be Winston. Today I’m on the fence again. I don’t really care. I just want a QB that can come back against Brees when we’re down seven with 2:05 on the clock.
February 23rd, 2015 at 9:08 am
I agree, trade with the jets. if not good trades, then take mariota, but start Glennon. he looked like he was uncomfortable dropping back at the combine. winston may look better, just way too many red flags, off the field actions, ego, and humility.
February 23rd, 2015 at 9:11 am
LOL wow you just compared him to vick and RG3 hahaha exactly my point. how is a guy coming out of a spread offense the prototypical quarterback because of his looks? really he LOOKS like a prototypical quarterback? and Winston doesn’t look like rothleisberger? think that guy ran a 4.5. you make no sense. that makes no sense to say he can’t make a second read but plays in a pro style offense, this is college if your quarterback cant make second reads you don’t play to his weakness weirdo’s… he has major flaws but still stated to be the number 1 prospect quarterback coming out of college? your not thinking straight. russell Wilson wasn’t a spread option qb thank you for proving me wrong and proving my point lol there are none? lol compare mariotta to geno smith or rg3 because there is no other quarterback to compare him to and the reason why is HE HAS NOT DONE IT YET. You cant focus on interceptions 1 year of a guys career and not the first year as a freshman and considering he’s only ever lost once. but enough of this if you don’t like Winston because of the off field issues say it but don’t talk like he’s not the better quarterback. wake up and see all your doing is projecting and guessing. he’s only the best quarterback if he goes to play for chip kelly
February 23rd, 2015 at 9:11 am
Take Mariota at 1 or we will be regretting it the next 10 years….
February 23rd, 2015 at 9:13 am
He redrew the play after eight minutes? That’s nice. Mooch said Winston did it after 12 minutes.. Winston won again. Just kidding fellas. Just an example of how petty this argument has gotten.
February 23rd, 2015 at 9:13 am
Joejoesfunginails let me ask you this how many teams in the top 10 of the draft already have a decent enough QB in place that would allow mariota time to come in and learn to play at the nfl level? Survey Says-none. I say this because I find it quite hilarious people think this guy is going that high in the draft. GMs and HCs are not about to risk they’re lively hood on what is being described as project.
February 23rd, 2015 at 9:18 am
your stuck in the 90’s….with the new CBA no quarterback will set a team back 10 years. matthew Stafford started day one, andy Dalton. lol my comparison of Winston and mariotta and you saw Stafford do his thing in college, Dalton you had to guess and the bengals guessed wrong
February 23rd, 2015 at 9:43 am
Did they ask Mariota about the fat LB and take away Jerry Rice?
February 23rd, 2015 at 9:45 am
Jameis belly rubbers….if you think Winston will not struggle as much as Mariota….you are delusional
On field it is a toss up between the 2
Off Field no question Mariota is the winner
3 years after starting
my opinion is Mariota has the greatest potential and likelyhood of greater success
February 23rd, 2015 at 9:51 am
Landry has been Jameis-hatin’ all along.
February 23rd, 2015 at 10:02 am
Welcome to Tampa Mariota. I’ve already got my jersey pre ordered
February 23rd, 2015 at 10:07 am
I would be happy with either one. People who keep asking about successful pro QB’s who came from a spread option. Aaron Rodgers. When he played at CAL it was a screen based offense with play action from the shot gun. Oh and there was that high release that people suss he would never unlearn. While he did. Yes it wasn’t the exact same as Mariota but if you have the tools you can learn an offense.
February 23rd, 2015 at 10:16 am
Mariota should just come across more cocky in interviews, discuss winning a Superbowl next year against Tom Brady and when asked about the spread offense just tell the media its in the past and I’m moving forward. Apparently that will put him over the top by a landslide.
February 23rd, 2015 at 10:20 am
Thought I was reading about Winston again, but nope it actually an article that show Mariota is just as intelligent as Winston in the football IQ department. Just reaffirms my opinion on taking Mariota #1. No doubts.
February 23rd, 2015 at 10:44 am
is like to see the video if there’s a link out there.
February 23rd, 2015 at 10:58 am
Joe should do a poll…Have you changed you mind Winston/Mariota
February 23rd, 2015 at 11:34 am
the Future is with Mariota.
February 23rd, 2015 at 11:43 am
Mariota’s a great athlete. But the guy hasn’t call a play since high school. No audibles. No verbiage to change the snap count in a loud screaming stadium. Mariota is going to have to learn and become comfortable with all that while Winston has been doing it every snap. Mariota is a world class athlete but I dont know if he is an NFL QB.
February 23rd, 2015 at 12:30 pm
Wilson did run some spread at Wisconsin. Cam came from a spread/read option system in college and did fine. If you can play you can play in any system!
February 23rd, 2015 at 12:38 pm
Are they allowed to have them suit up in pads and execute about 45 minutes of plays against a nfl scout team defense during the individual team workouts? That’s what I’m most interested in seeing.
February 23rd, 2015 at 12:57 pm
@Joe – you know, when you own your own website, I figure you bought the right to publicly support any belief, position, or any particular person, you want to…I may not LIKE who you support…but I respect the fact that you bought the groceries, you can cook ’em up any way you want – it’s your site. I appreciate that you’re good enough to let a number of us disagree with you, but it’s clear that folks don’t come here to read what the dissenters think…
I saw this report about Mariota’s interview, I was wondering if it would see the light of day in Tampa…not that it would matter, because just like you, the Glazers bought their own “bully pulpit”, and while they’d like a majority of fans to agree with their decisions…it isn’t really necessary that we do (all the time).
I appreciate you posting it here. It probably won’t sway any of those in Kid Fameis’ camp – but because I don’t believe this decision is a foregone conclusion – I think it’s important that both sides are aware that BOTH QB’s WOWED the interviewers. BOTH QB’s are at a similar stage in their development, and while neither is “NFL Ready”…both of these QB’s are on the Buccaneer’s draft board…and the final decision has NOT been made.
Because, in the end, there’s a group of us that won’t be pleased with the outcome, but both sides will need to understand that one of these QB’s will be the leader of the Buccaneer’s, so we ALL need to know whether both candidates are capable of becoming what we need them to become…
Can’t do that without presenting both sides and letting the chips fall where they may.
In the end, it really doesn’t matter who WE choose…the choice we’ll have is to support the choice the team makes.
Knowing that both guys are SO close, and why the competition is so close, might help all of us accept the choice that Marcus Mariota will be the next Buccaneer QB of the future…
(….I could not help myself)!
February 23rd, 2015 at 2:07 pm
I like Winston better than I did before and would be comfortable if they picked him, but I feel a little more comfortable with Mariota.
February 23rd, 2015 at 4:45 pm
Good thinking, Joe. Coach Smith has said he wants to build through the draft, but knows he needs to do some work in FA.
If they come out of FA with a lot of holes, then watch out.
February 23rd, 2015 at 5:05 pm
There picking Winston wither you like it or not people. All the analyst, scouts and GMs (that have been asked)except about 2% knows it’s Winston. Better get use to it. Some of you will realize how little you know about NFL Football. No actually you wont. lol But you will have to live with the Bucs being in the playoff’s 13 out of next 15 years. WITH WINSTON AS OUR FRANCHISE QB! Haha!!!!
February 23rd, 2015 at 7:25 pm
Winston reminds me of RG3… bigger than the game… sorry I called it when RG3 CAME IN THE NFL he will wow first year then his ego would would take him down. If we take QB MM is the way to go for the long haul.