Zach Mettenberger Reportedly Viewed as 'Poor Team's Tom Brady' by Titans

The Tennessee Titans have the No. 2 overall pick in the 2015 NFL draft, which makes drafting a top quarterback such as Jameis Winston or Marcus Mariota a very real possibility. However, they reportedly love what they already have in quarterback Zach Mettenberger.

With the chance to choose either Winston or Mariota on draft day, Tennessee's leadership views Mettenberger as a "poor team's Tom Brady," according to The Tennessean's David Climer (h/t CBSSports.com's Jason La Canfora).    

"In short, [coach Ken] Whisenhunt and [general manager Ruston] Webster think they pulled the steal of the 2014 draft. Titans brass see Mettenberger as a poor team’s Tom Brady. He's the quarterback," writes Climer, who disagrees with the assessment.

This information could suggest Mettenberger will be the Titans' QB of the foreseeable future, provided he plays well enough. It also could make the likelihood of Tennessee either trading out of No. 2 or drafting a different position there much higher.

Mettenberger has a long way to go before he even sniffs what Brady has done in his legendary career. One similarity between the two is that both were drafted in the sixth round.

If the Titans really do believe they have a revelatory diamond in the rough in Mettenberger, it makes sense to build around him. With some starting NFL experience under his belt after an ACL tear suffered in his senior year at LSU, Mettenberger has a chance to make a splash in 2015.

Former NFL linebacker Takeo Spikes believes Mettenberger has the tools to succeed as a starter, per Pro Football Talk:

Mettenberger played in a pro-style offense under Cam Cameron in college and has tremendous arm talent, which will only help his cause to thrive in his second NFL season.

Whether Mettenberger looked better thanks to the presence of Odell Beckham Jr., Jarvis Landry and Jeremy Hill around him in Baton Rouge is unclear. The Titans apparently believe Mettenberger can take them where they want to go.

Whisenhunt's team can recover fast after a 2-14 season, aid his job security and make the playoffs for the first time since 2008 if Mettenberger emulates anyone as terrific as Brady.

Still, if the team opts to pass on a talented rookie signal-caller such as Winston or Mariota, that decision is sure to cause plenty of debate.