NFL Draft 2015: Prospects with Most to Prove in Bowl Season

Football fans who have watched their favorite teams fall out of postseason contention have already turned their attention to the 2015 NFL draft and the top prospects to watch during bowl season.

While there will be a plethora of elite players on display over the coming weeks in the marquee bowl matchups, the game featuring the two most talked-about prospects is the College Football Playoff semifinal between the Oregon Ducks and Florida State Seminoles.

Everyone is talking about the Rose Bowl battle between Heisman Trophy winners Marcus Mariota and Jameis Winston.

Here are the prospects with the most to prove during bowl season.

Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon Ducks

Junior Oregon Ducks quarterback Marcus Mariota deserved to win the Heisman Trophy this season after racking up an incredible 3,783 passing yards, 669 rushing yards and 52 combined touchdowns with just two interceptions all year.

Mariota and Oregon suffered a heartbreaking loss to Arizona in early October, but led by the elite performance of the quarterback, the Ducks bounced back for eight straight wins, including a Pac-12 Championship victory over the Wildcats.

The redemption in the conference championship was the perfect end to the regular season for Mariota.

Philadelphia Eagles and former Ducks head coach Chip Kelly spoke to Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer about Mariota's skill set, saying, “He's a special player, and he's just got a gift for playing football. He's everything you want. He can throw the ball. He can run. He's the most talented kid I coached in college.”

The battle between Mariota and Jameis Winston of Florida State will be a major factor in the decision-making process of the teams considering who to select early in the first round of the draft. If Mariota thrives under the pressure of the semifinal matchup, there will be no doubt that the Oregon star will be the first quarterback selected and possibly the No. 1 overall pick.

On the other hand, Winston outshining Mariota in the Rose Bowl could cause a major shift in the mindset of the teams vying for the first pick in the 2015 draft.

Jameis Winston, QB, Florida State Seminoles

There is plenty of pressure on Mariota, but the player with even more on the line in the College Football Playoff semifinals is Seminoles star Jameis Winston. With plenty of off-field baggage, Winston must shine bright under pressure to ensure his status as a top draft prospect.

The sophomore quarterback has yet to lose a game in his college career and has both a national championship and a Heisman Trophy to his name. There is no denying some of the bad decisions from the QB during his career at Florida State, but he is a 20-year-old kid who made mistakes.

Michael Vick heaped praise on Winston, via ESPN’s SportsCenter Twitter:

If Winston comes to play in the Rose Bowl and outplays Mariota, several of the teams picking early in the first round will be considering both quarterbacks as options.

Winston’s numbers in 2014 weren’t as impressive as they were when he won the Heisman in 2013, but he still managed 3,559 passing yards, 24 touchdowns and 17 interceptions en route to a conference championship and a perfect 13-0 record.

The matchup of Mariota and Winston in the semifinals of the inaugural College Football Playoff has the sport at a fever pitch. College football fans and NFL executives will be watching the Rose Bowl with bated breath.

*Stats via cfbstats.com.