No surprise: QBs Winston, Mariota chosen 1-2

Associated Press

CHICAGO

Even with significant off-field baggage, Jameis Winston was the first pick in the NFL draft Thursday night.

With no such issues, Marcus Mariota went second.

You don’t pass up a potential franchise quarterback in today’s pass-happy NFL.

So Florida State’s Winston is headed to Tampa Bay and Oregon’s Mariota goes to Tennessee at No. 2. They’ll take their Heisman Trophies (Winston in 2013, Mariota last year) and try to turn two downtrodden franchises into contenders, maybe even champions.

“The challenge is just being an NFL player, period. I’m not worried about any off-the-field situations or even on-the-field situations,” Winston said. “I’m just worried about living this new lifestyle and just developing into a great man for the Tampa Bay community for my teammates, because it’s all for them and it’s all for the success of this franchise.”

While Mariota has been a model citizen, some questioned his having barely taken any snaps behind center in Oregon’s quick-tempo attack. But Titans coach Ken Whisenhunt, who has done big things with such veteran quarterbacks as Ben Roethlisberger, Kurt Warner and Philip Rivers, clearly isn’t concerned.

“He’s a talented young man who has a very good feel for the position and how to process those things,” Whisenhunt said, “and we’re excited to get a chance to work with him.”

Naturally, Mariota isn’t worried about the doubters, either.

“I believe in my abilities and the hard work that I’ve put in,” he said. “And that’s one thing is that I can’t control other people’s opinions. I’ve just got to do what I can do and that’s putting in the hard work and getting ready for the next chapter. People are always going to have their opinions and say what they want to say.”

Tampa has the receivers to help Winston in Vincent Jackson and Mike Evans, both of whom went over 1,000 yards last year despite shoddy quarterbacking. Tennessee can’t make the same claim.

Each of those teams went 2-14 in 2014, but coaches Smith and Whisenhunt, in their first seasons in charge, survived the awful record. Now, they presumably have the main building tool.

Winston and Mariota, who each had a year of eligibility remaining, will meet in the season opener in Tampa Bay.

Neither quarterback was in Chicago, choosing to watch — and celebrate — at home with their families. It was the sixth time since 1967 that quarterbacks went 1-2, and this was no surprise.

It wasn’t a surprise to see Washington CB Marcus Peters or Missouri DE Shane Ray go in the opening round, although both bring questions about personal behavior to the NFL. Peters went 18th to Kansas City, Ray 23rd to Denver, which traded up five slots to get him.

Peters was kicked off the Huskies after several arguments with coaches.

Ray was cited for marijuana use on Monday, and said he “will learn from my mistake.”

Coincidentally, marijuana has been legalized in Colorado.

Following the quarterbacks were two more underclassmen: linebacker Dante Fowler Jr. of Florida headed upstate a bit to Jacksonville, then Oakland grabbed Alabama wide receiver Amari Cooper.

The first senior taken was Iowa tackle Brandon Scherff by Washington in the fifth spot, a bit of a surprise.