Jameis Winston vs. Marcus Mariota Rookie Race Predictions

Jameis Winston vs. Marcus Mariota Rookie Race Predictions by Erik Lambert 3h ago  Marcus Mariota won the showdown in the Sugar Bowl and the Heisman Trophy.  Jameis Winston has the ring and went 1st overall in the NFL draft.  So the rivalry brewing between the two young quarterbacks isn’t quite settled yet.  This means how each of them is able to execute in their rookie seasons could determine the winner.To help figure out which has the best chance to claim those bragging rights, this article will break down how their situations look on individual and team basis.  Then at the end a prediction will be made on which of them has the better year.PassingWinston Top Three Targets:•Vincent Jackson•Mike Evans•Austin Seferian-JenkinsMariota Top Three Targets:•Kendall Wright•Justin Hunter•Delanie WalkerOffensive Lines:•Titans allowed 41 sacks in 2014 (PFF)•Bucs allowed 38 sacks in 2014 (PFF)Even though he went to the team with the higher draft choice, the numbers show that Winston likely ended up with the more talented offense.  Vincent Jackson is a veteran All-Pro and Mike Evans had over 1,000 yards as a rookie.  Mariota meanwhile has a cast of solid but underachieving weapons like Kendall Wright and Justin Hunter.  Add in the fact that Winston should be better protected by his offensive line and knows how to execute a pro system, it’s fair to say he’ll have a better year passing.Advantage:  WinstonRushingMariota rushing stats:  2,237 yards, 29 touchdowns (3 seasons)Winston rushing stats:  284 yards, 7 touchdowns (2 seasons)He may have played in fewer games, but the number are still way more skewed in favor of Mariota over Winston.  The thing about rushing yards and touchdowns is they rely less on intelligence and more on pure athletic talent.  Mariota showed in college and again at the scouting combine that he is just more gifted as a runner than Winston.  Not only fast, he has good vision and some elusiveness to him.  Though coaches may not ask him to run often, smart bet says he ends up doing so as a safety valve if he can find somebody open.Advantage:  MariotaCoachingFrom a pure accomplishment standpoint, Ken Whisenhunt and Lovie Smith pretty much push each other to a draw.  Both are coming off terrible seasons but had great success at prior destinations.  Each turned around struggling franchises in Chicago and Arizona and had them one win away from a Lombardi trophy.However, this is about which of them can maximize their quarterbacks.  In that case Whisenhunt must hold serve.  He was offensive coordinator in Pittsburgh for three seasons, helping them win the Super Bowl and after leaving Arizona helped San Diego reach the playoffs as their OC.  Smith is a defensive specialist who has really struggled to elevate his quarterbacks in the past.  In fact, none he has coached in has ever thrown for more than 4,000 yards in a season.Advantage:  MariotaDivisionsNFC South combined record:  20-27AFC South combined record:  23-25Lastly comes the obstacles in their way.  Strong divisions can make life miserable on rookie quarterbacks.  Do either Winston or Mariota have that problem?  Well, not technically.  Both the NFC and AFC South divisions were among the worst in the NFL last year.  Based on a head-to-head, the separation is minimal but the truth is still there.  With the Indianapolis Colts and Houston Texans each posting winning records in 2014, the Tennessee Titans have a higher mountain to climb than the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who face a field whose division winner went 7-8-1 last season.Advantage:  WinstonPredictionIn review, Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota can’t complain about their situations.  Though they take over teams that struggled a year ago, it’s not like the cupboard is bare.  Winston will have a stronger supporting cast and a weaker division while Mariota will be able to beat defenses more with his legs and has a coach well-versed in developing young quarterbacks.  However, this prediction is based on success in 2015.  With those parameters in place, the choice is clear.Winston will have the better season.  He’s more prepared to play right away, works with some excellent receivers and doesn’t have to go through a Seattle or a Green Bay twice a year to win some games.link