Each week sports reporters Matthew Lambert and Eric Schroeder will face off on a hot topic in sports. The world of sports is changing quickly and constantly, but we want to slow it down and take a better look at the juiciest gossip, scandal, rumor or issue that is making headlines this week. Lambert and Schroeder will take different sides and battle it out, telling you why you they are right.
This week’s topic: First pick of 2015 NFL Draft
The calendar has officially turned to April, which means the NFL Draft is less than a month away. Everyone is curious whom the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will pick first overall. Who will it be? Let’s talk about it… (Recap by Sam Thiel)
FROM ERIC SCHROEDER
The NFL draft is just a few short weeks away and Tampa is on the clock. There certainly is a big push for them to keep Jameis Winston in Florida with the number one pick, but I feel that it is the wrong direction to go. Tampa has struggled since 2008, as they have not had a winning record in six seasons. Time for change and a franchise quarterback is needed and Winston is not the answer.
Instead, the Bucs need to look to the west coast and find their franchise quarterback in Marcus Mariota. Taking a look at the combine alone, Mariota blew away the competition. He was a top performer in every category for quarterbacks and his college stats make him stand-alone. He threw a total of 14 interceptions over three seasons compared to 105 touchdowns. All three season he showed steady improvement as Mariota had career bests in completions, touchdowns, and quarterback rating.
The other key part to Mariota is not something that can be found in statistics alone. His maturity cannot be shown through numbers alone and neither can his leadership, but Mariota established both in Oregon’s championship run this past season. His hunger and desire to win are intangibles that simply cannot be taught. It is for these reasons that Tampa cannot pass on him as their franchise quarterback in this year’s NFL draft.
FROM MATTHEW LAMBERT
A lot of experts say Jameis Winston is the best player in the draft. While I agree, that is much too simple of a pick for my taste. Instead, I would like to talk about someone else that could be Winston’s competition for the number one overall pick: Amari Cooper. Cooper won the Biletnikoff award last season for Alabama, raking in 124 receptions for 1,727 yards and 16 touchdowns.
Last year’s draft we witnessed an anomaly. We saw 12 wide receivers drafted in the first two rounds and each one started for their team at one time. It’s incredible to have that many wide receivers not only be drafted but also to start, with most of them flourishing like Odell Beckham Jr., Sammy Watkins, Mike Evans and Jarvis Landry, just to name a few.
Cooper will also get to join the likes of Evans and Vincent Jackson, creating a wide receiver core that could be one of the best in the league. Even so, since it’s important to mention their lack of quarterback depth in Tampa Bay, trading away Jackson to move down in the first round, maybe to snag Marcus Mariota. Also, head coach Lovie Smith went to a Super Bowl without an All-Pro caliber quarterback in Rex Grossman.
All in all, the Buccaneers need another playmaker on their squad, someone to compliment their pieces from last year’s draft. Experts have been comparing Cooper to Marvin Harrison as a route runner and pass catcher, which should make all football fans excited given Harrison’s incredible career as an Indianapolis Colt. The fact that you can never have enough talented wide receivers makes Cooper even more valuable.
