Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota says he is staying in school, and not entering the 2014 NFL draft. But he’d like to know where NFL talent evaluators think he would be drafted if he were to enter the draft.
Craig Pintens, an Oregon spokesman, confirmed on Twitter that Mariota requested his draft evaluation on November 30, the day after Oregon completed its regular season with a win over Oregon State. However, Pintens says Mariota’s decision to stay in school is made, regardless of what the NFL’s draft advisory board tells him.
Still, if Mariota hears that he’s likely to be a high first-round draft pick, his decision may not be set in stone. Mariota would not be the first college player to first say he’s staying in school, then change his mind after more time to think about it.
Many draft analysts view Mariota as the best quarterback who could enter this year’s draft, at the top of a list that also includes Louisville’s Teddy Bridgewater, Central Florida’s Blake Bortles, Texas A&M’s Johnny Manziel, Fresno State’s Derek Carr and UCLA’s Brett Hundley.