Tennessee Titans Smart to Pick Marcus Mariota, Must Adapt to Exploit QB's Skills

After all the rumors, buzz and narratives that followed the No. 2 pick in this year's NFL draft, the Tennessee Titans stayed put and picked up their guy in Marcus Mariota.

Surprised? I wouldn't be. This league is so quarterback-driven, so dependent on getting production from the position, that the Titans had to take a chance here with Mariota.

Yes, coach Ken Whisenhunt has a returning quarterback in Zach Mettenberger—who saw plenty of reps in 2014—but this move allows the Titans coaching staff to go to work with a plus athlete who brings a truly unique skill set to the league.

I do believe there will be a developmental process at play with Mariota, a learning curve, as he makes the transition from the spread offense of Oregon to the NFL. That's expected, and it's a question mark NFL scouts have pointed to throughout the draft process.

They want to see Mariota move from a shotgun-based offense and master the mechanics, the progressions and the full-field reads that are a major part of playing the position in the pros. Can he put throws into tight windows, manage a muddy pocket and throw guys open? These are real questions with Mariota's game at this point.

But the scouts I talked with also love Mariota's football character, his mental make-up at the position.

Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images

"I do think spread offenses are setting quarterbacks back, but this kid is smart, humble and a hard worker. He will get it, " a scout told me. "Mariota might not be a star, but a quarterback you can win with."

A key in the development of Mariota will rest on Whisenhunt and his ability (or willingness) to adapt his playbook to fit the skills of Mariota. That's good coaching, that's smart coaching, and it will allow for a smoother transition for the rookie quarterback.

Check out the Oregon tape, implement some of their schemes, and install a base spread package to facilitate Mariota's move to a pro system. Cater to the quarterback's talent with movement passes, the sprint game, bootleg, etc., and allow him to showcase his athletic ability. 

That won't be the complete playbook for the Titans, but it can create a more comfortable setting for Mariota as he begins to learn the proper footwork, reads and, ultimately, the pocket presence he will need to survive and produce against NFL defenses.

Gone are the Oregon days of busted coverages, wide-open receivers and defensive front sevens that were laboring on the field because of the Ducks' tempo. Even with the pro route concepts Oregon did run in its system, this will be a much different game for Mariota. We should expect him to show the effects when he gets on the field this season.

When will he get on the field? There's a long time until the final depth charts are set for Week 1 (when the Titans face Jameis Winston's new team, the Bucs), and I can't see Mettenberger lying down for a rookie that is coming to take his job. The second-year pro has game experience in the NFL and will be ready to compete for that job in Nashville.

And Mariota could benefit from some time watching, learning, studying and truly adjusting his game to fit what Whisenhunt wants at the position.

I've always said that live game reps are the ultimate developmental tools in football. That's how players learn—by making mistakes, improving with corrections and gradually adapting to the ridiculous NFL speed that is all over the field. But I can't go there just yet with Mariota. There are still too many unknowns in my opinion to just toss him into the fire on opening day this season. That's putting him in a tough position to succeed.

But whether we see Mariota in Week 1 or later, the Titans made it clear on Thursday night that the former Oregon quarterback is the franchise. He's the guy they are going to build a football team around.

Even with the questions about his ability to make the transition and even with the consistent knocks on the offensive system he played in at Oregon, Mariota is the future in Tennessee.

And we get to see if he can make the jump.

Seven-year NFL veteran Matt Bowen is an NFL National Lead Writer for Bleacher Report.

Follow @MattBowen41