The Tampa Bay Buccaneers thought they had their answer at quarterback when they signed Josh McCown to a two- year, $10 million contact before the 2014 NFL season. He had stepped in for an injured Jay Cutler for the Chicago Bears in 2013 and threw 13 touchdowns with just one interception, and looked like he had found the fountain of youth.

In 2014, though, he came crashing back down to earth, playing only 12 games due to injury and throwing just 11 touchdowns against 14 interceptions. His regression, and the fact that he will turn 36 before the 2015 season, means the Buccaneers need to use the top overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft to get a franchise quarterback, and there is no one better than Marcus Mariota.

The 2014 Heisman Trophy winner excelled during his three years as an Oregon Duck, throwing for 105 touchdowns and only 14 interceptions while adding 2,237 yards and 29 more touchdowns on the ground. Everyone knows about the gaudy stats he put up at Oregon, but perhaps his most alluring quality, and what makes him the most attractive to an NFL franchise, is his character.

Mariota has all the tools a team wants and needs in a franchise quarterback without the off-field distractions and ego that recent draftee Johnny Manziel and fellow draft-eligible quarterback Jameis Winston possess. In fact, Mariota is so quiet and respectful that it has led some to question whether he has the ability to lead an offense, but fellow coaches and players have all praised his leadership ability and competitiveness.

Many scouts view him as a notch below Andrew Luck, but a notch above Robert Griffin III as a prospect coming out of college, and if Mariota can come close to putting up the 20 touchdowns passes and 815 rushing yards Griffin did in his rookie season with the Washington Redskins, the Buccaneers will be getting a steal in Mariota and could very likely make a push to win a very weak NFC South division next season.

Phillip Jacques is a Pac-12 Football writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google