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Loss In National Championship Damages Marcus Mariota’s NFL Draft Stock

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By @RyanRattyNFL

Marcus Mariota Chicago Bears

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

For weeks now, there have been mock drafts going around the internet, and the No. 1 pick for almost all of these mocks has been Marcus Mariota of the Oregon Ducks — and it’s for good reason. Mariota is a great player. He represents everything franchises want in a franchise quarterback. He’ll do whatever it takes to get a win and is the epitome of a good kid. Mariota is the polar opposite of fellow top quarterback Jameis Winston.

For three seasons now, Mariota has put on a show in the northwest for the Ducks. When Mariota arrived in Eugene, Chip Kelly immediately made him the starting quarterback. Kelly has stated time and time again that Mariota is the best college football player he has ever seen. Mariota has a great arm, excellent mobility and the ability to throw on the run, so it’s no surprise that people believe he is going to be a special player at the next level. He has been compared to Russell Wilson, and by the traits listed above, it’s easy to see why.

Although Mariota threw for over 300 yards with two touchdowns and did display his accuracy at times, the fact of the matter is that Mariota’s draft stock slipped a little bit in the National Championship. For starters, Mariota looked lost when he was under pressure which happened consistently against Ohio State. Because of this pressure, Mariota’s mental clock was shorter than it’s ever been and most of his throws came out all over the place. In the NFL, the pass rush will be much more intense and much more consistent. This will be a problem to scouts, and he could’ve ultimately played his way out of the No. 1 pick with his performance against the Buckeyes.

Ryan Ratty is a featured writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @RyanRattyNFL or add him to your network on Google.

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