Marcus Mariota turns in lackluster pro day

Brandon Schlager

Marcus Mariota turns in lackluster pro day image

"Underwhelming" generally isn't an adjective you'll hear associated with Marcus Mariota. But that's the word that made its rounds through some NFL circles Thursday.

The former Oregon quarterback and likely top 10 pick in May's NFL Draft wasn't at his Heisman Trophy-winning best when he worked out in front of scouts from all 32 NFL teams during the school's pro day. Even he said so.

MORE: Mariota's 40 time | Winston vs. Mariota | NFL free agency tracker

“I thought at the (NFL) Combine I threw better,” Mariota admitted to reporters after his workout, via SI.com. “Today, there was a lot of emotion being back in Eugene. That’s caused some nervousness … At the same time, I thought it went well both days.”

Mariota threw 65 passes inside the Ducks' indoor fieldhouse with seven incompletions, some underthrown. He began each of his reps by calling a play out of a huddle to address concerns over his ability to work in a pro-style offense.

"The feedback was it's not a great workout," NFL scout-turned-analyst Daniel Jeremiah said on NFL Network. "It is what it is. He threw the ball better at the Combine in my opinion. It was a little bit underwhelming."

Several general managers were in attendance, including Jason Licht of the Buccaneers and Ruston Webster on the Titans, owners of the No. 1 and No. 2 overall picks, respectively.

Some chatter associates Mariota with the No. 1 overall pick, but he's been more widely pegged as the No. 2 quarterback prospect behind Florida State's Jameis Winston, whose pro day is scheduled for March 31. Regardless, Mariota is virtually a guaranteed lock to be drafted in the top 10, which is filled with quarterback-needy teams.

Mariota said he has already held one-on-one interviews with the Buccaneers, Eagles and Titans. That's where he'll likely impress teams the most.

While a poor performance during a pro day can harm a player's NFL Draft stock, it doesn't serve as the be-all, end-all, just like a good pro day doesn't necessarily guarantee draft-day success.

Teddy Bridgewater was criticized for his performance during Louisville's pro day last offseason and fell to No. 32 overall in the first round as a result. But, by most accounts, he enjoyed relative success during his rookie season. On the flip side, Johnny Manziel impressed scouts in his workout a year ago, was drafted 22nd overall and disappointed as a rookie.

Brandon Schlager

Brandon Schlager Photo

Brandon Schlager is an assistant managing editor at The Sporting News. A proud Buffalo, N.Y. native and graduate of SUNY Buffalo State, he joined SN as an intern in 2014 and now oversees editorial content strategy.