Watch CBS News

Mariota vs. Winston: Charles Davis Breaks It Down

Jameis Winston or Marcus Mariota. Which superstar quarterback is the better NFL prospect? NFL Network's Charles Davis joined the Joe Rose Show Friday on WQAM to talk about the top two quarterback prospects in college football.

"Physical ability, I like Mariota better," he said. "Meaning his ability to move, run -- he has plenty of arm.

"Winston is a physical specimen. He doesn't move as well as Mariota, trust me on this, but when you're talking about being the most pro-ready right now, Winston is. Plays much more of a pro style system."

Both quarterbacks have dominated at the college level over the last two seasons, as indicated by their QBR, an advanced metric that measures efficiency at the quarterback position, taking into account a variety of variables such as opponent.

QBR2

"[If] one of these two has to play in one week for the NFL, it'd be Jameis Winston," Davis says of the FSU quarterback. "If I'm talking long term, future, long haul, it could still be Jameis Winston but I'm a crazy, monster fan of Marcus Mariota because I think that he's going to adapt, he's going to learn, and he's going to thrive."

Davis went on to name a bunch of NFL passers who, like Mariota, played almost exclusively out of shotgun in college. Andy Dalton and Cam Newton were a couple of the ones mentioned.

Both quarterbacks have eligibility remaining with Mariota a junior and Winston a redshirt sophomore, but both are expected to declare for the NFL Draft after the postseason. The Mariota-Winston debate is a polarizing topic, one that will continue to heat up when Oregon takes on Florida State in the Rose Bowl on New Years Day in the first ever College Football Playoff semifinal.

You're an NFL General Manager with the top overall pick in need of a quarterback. Who are you taking: Winston or Mariota?

Listen to all Joe Rose Show interviews here, and follow WQAM on Twitter and Facebook!

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.