When it was all over and the dust had settled, the Tennessee Titans had selected quarterback Marcus Mariota in the NFL Draft.
Okay, maybe that doesn't deserve the "Braveheart" style drama fans have built up for it, but it was still plenty surprising. Given the amount of teams interested - the Eagles, Browns and Rams to name a few - and the reported offers on the table, many expected the Titans to trade the No. 2 overall pick for a "Game of Thrones" style King's Ransom. Instead, they took Mariota.
What does this mean for 2014 sixth-rounder Zach Mettenberger, who threw for 1,412 yards with eight touchdowns and seven interceptions in seven games last year?
"Coach Ken Whisenhunt hasn't made his plan a secret - he wants Mariota to be the team's starter in Week One at Tampa Bay," Jim Wyatt of The Tennessean wrote. "While Mettenberger has a chance to try and convince coaches to do otherwise, the odds are against him. Let's face it, if Mariota isn't behind center at the start of the season, it's going to be because something didn't go according to plan. No one wants to play the blame game, and answer for that one. I expect to see Mariota as the starter on Sept. 13. At this point, it would also be a surprise if the Titans don't start the season with three quarterbacks, with the group including veteran Charlie Whitehurst."
Several NFL writers and scouts noted before the draft that they did not believe Mariota should be a Week 1 starter. While he possesses above average athleticism for the position and has a stellar work ethic, he was rarely asked to make NFL style throws while at Oregon. Mariota excelled at making quick decisions but he showcased a concerning lack of comfort in the pocket and is not used to the type of offense Whisenhunt will be running in Tennessee.
There's no doubt that Mariota has a lot of talent and the potential to become a franchise quarterback. But the few knocks against him coming into the draft were well founded. He's not coming from a pro-style system like Jameis Winston, whose on-field transition to the NFL should be easier.
Wyatt says he'll be surprised if Mariota is on the sideline for Week 1. But maybe that surprise stems from the somewhat short leash he knows Whisenhunt is on.
As the tenure of general managers and head coaches has continued to shrink, rookie quarterbacks have been pushed into starting duty earlier than ever. Cam Newton, Andrew Luck, Robert Griffin III, Russell Wilson; gone are the days when guys like Aaron Rodgers would sit on the sideline for several years. Although all of those guys found some level of success in their first year, teams shouldn't expect those results from every rookie signal caller.
