Marcus Mariota won the 2014 Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award (Oregon) in February this year. (TNS)
By Andrew Greif/The Oregonian (TNS)
On the biggest day of Marcus Mariota’s college career at Oregon, the day he won the Heisman Trophy last December, about two dozen friends and family from Hawaii came to him in New York.
Now it appears he’ll spend the first day of his NFL career by spending it back in his home state with many of the same people.
Mariota will not attend the April 30 first round of the NFL draft, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, preferring instead to be back home because he feels it is important to his family and culture to celebrate the occasion in Hawaii.
Mariota is projected by many mock NFL drafts to be chosen in the first 10 picks of the draft. The Tennessee Titans, holders of the No. 2 pick, sent several employees to watch Mariota throw in person at his March 12 “pro day” in Eugene, and the New York Jets, who pick at No. 6, sent a similarly large group of executives and coaches to catch a live workout last weekend at Oregon’s facilities.
Presumptive No. 1 pick Jameis Winston of Florida State also does not plan on attending the draft, Schefter and other outlets have reported.
The draft runs April 30-May 2 in Chicago.
Mariota is one of three Ducks who could be chosen in the first round, joining defensive lineman Arik Armstead and offensive tackle Jake Fisher. Oregon has never produced three first-rounders in one draft class; the program’s first-round record is two, set in 1972 when Ahmad Rashad and tackle Tom Drougas were taken, and 2013, when guard Kyle Long and linebacker Dion Jordan were both selected within the first 20 picks.
