Titans Must Act Interested in Drafting a Quarterback, Even If They Aren't

Armed with the No. 2 overall pick in this year's draft, the Tennessee Titans will have an opportunity to draft either former Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston or former Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota.

One of the two will likely wind up with the quarterback-needy Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who own the first overall selection. The remaining signal-caller can become a Titan, if the decision-makers in Tennessee decide to pull the trigger.

The problem is that while Winston and Mariota really seem to be the only pro-ready quarterbacks in this draft class, both come with major question marks. 

Winston's bright collegiate career was marred by off-the-field incidents, including sexual assault allegations, shoplifting, an incident involving a BB gun and the public use of vulgar language. He will have to show a new-found sense of maturity in order to alleviate concerns over potential future issues.

Mariota, on the other hand, is virtual golden boy off the football field. Quiet, charming and squeaky clean, he is exactly the type of All-American guy you want as the face of your franchise. The uncertainty surrounding Mariota exists on the football field.

While Winston operated primarily in the pocket of a pro-style offense, Mariota led a wide-open, no-huddle spread attack. Teams simply don't know if he has the arm strength and field-vision to excel at the NFL level.

The fact that these two are perceived as the two best options in the 2015 draft creates a scary proposition for teams looking to gamble at the top of the first round. This is exactly why the Titans may very well pass on the opportunity to draft either Mariota or Winston.  

Sticking with 2014 sixth-round pick Zach Mettenberger remains an option, even if the Titans refuse to commit to him as their starter. 

"We like Zach, and I think Zach has the tools to play and start in the league," Titans general manager Ruston Webster said, via Jim Wyatt of The Tennessean. "We've said all along that this is a part of this process, and we have to do our due diligence all the way through. Zach knows we are going to do that, and this is just kind of part of it.

Considering the Tennessee defense ranked just 27th overall last season, according to Pro Football Focus, it might make more sense for the Titans to target a defensive stud like Leonard Williams or Danny Shelton.

If the Titans aren't convinced that Mariota or Winston won't provide a significant upgrade over Mettenberger, the team's best course of action would be to trade down to acquire more draft ammunition from a quarterback-needy team. Even if the Titans like one of the quarterbacks, there is a 50-50 chance that the Buccaneers will grab him.

The worst possible thing the Titans can do, however, is allow other teams to know that grabbing a quarterback isn't their primary game plan.

If the Titans hope to ransom a package of picks from a team like the New York Jets (drafting sixth overall) or the Cleveland Browns (12th overall), they have to make everyone believe the team is genuinely interested in grabbing a quarterback.

The Jacksonville Jaguars, who own the No. 3 overall pick, drafted quarterback Blake Bortles a year ago. The Oakland Raiders, who select at No. 4, grabbed Derek Carr in 2014. Neither team is likely to draft a quarterback this year and will be in prime position to trade down if the Titans do not.

"I think the No. 2 spot is a very hot spot right now." Former Buccaneers general manager Mark Dominik recently told Mike Keith via the Titans official website. "Because I think there's teams behind the Tennessee Titans right now that are in the quarterback market, specifically the Jets."

As long as teams are forced to believe that the Titans may take a quarterback, that No. 2 selection will remain a desirable commodity. If the Titans let it slip that they aren't sold on either Mariota or Winston, however, it will be the Jaguars or Raiders with an opportunity to make a deal.