|
 Winston won the 2013 Heisman Trophy as top U.S. collegiate player,
and Mariota, taken by the Tennessee Titans with the second pick, was
the 2014 winner, marking the first time Heisman recipients went 1-2
in the NFL Draft.
The draft itself also struck an historic note as it was staged in
Chicago's Auditorium Theater, shifting the proceedings away from New
York City for the first time since 1964.
The 21-year-old Winston, who became the youngest winner of the
coveted college award at 19, one month before leading Florida State
to a national championship, was the consensus top choice.
Winston, who joins a Bucs team that selected first by dint of a
league-worst 2-14 record, was widely seen as the most pro-ready
quarterback available after thriving in a pro-style offense at
Florida State.
The 6-foot-4, 230-pound, strong-armed Winston has all the tools for
NFL success and the Bucs showed their confidence in him by
overlooking a list of off-field incidents, including a sexual
assault allegation and a shoplifting citation, as Tampa Bay
background checks convinced them he could be counted on.
Winston skipped the draft proceedings to watch on television back
home in Bessemer, Alabama, with family and friends and donned a red
Tampa Bay cap in honor of his new team.
Tennessee followed by grabbing University of Oregon's Mariota, who
watched from even farther away, in Honolulu.
Mariota, a mobile quarterback who ran a college-style spread
offense, led Oregon to 36 wins in three seasons and steered the team
to January's national championship game.
With the third pick, the Jacksonville Jaguars selected defensive end
Dante Fowler Jr. of the Florida Gators.
"Since I was 10 I started watching the draft on TV and I told myself
I want to be on that stage," the pass-rushing Fowler said. "My hard
work paid off and I have a lot of great things to do.
"They know who I am," the Florida native said about expectations in
Jacksonville. "Florida know who I am."
[to top of second column] |
The Oakland Raiders took wide receiver Amari Cooper of Alabama with
the fourth pick, and the Washington Redskins followed by taking
offensive tackle Brandon Scherff of Iowa.
Two running backs were taken in the first round, bucking a recent
trend, as Todd Gurley of Georgia was taken with the 10th pick by the
St. Louis Rams, and Melvin Gordon of Wisconsin went to the San Diego
Chargers with the 15th choice.
Adding some international flavor, defensive tackle Danny Shelton,
taken 12th by the Cleveland Browns, wore a lava-lava sarong and an
ula fala ceremonial necklace to honor his Samoan heritage.
Nigerian-born wide receiver Nelson Agholor of USC went with the 20th
pick to the Philadelphia Eagles, and Jamaican-born guard Laken
Tomlinson from Duke was taken at 28 by the Detroit Lions.
Rounds two and three will be held on Friday, with the last four
rounds of the draft to be conducted on Saturday.
(Reporting by Larry Fine in New York; Editing by Frank Pingue/Peter
Rutherford)
[© 2015 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
Copyright 2015 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
 |
