Whisenhunt: Mariota will be Day 1 starter if Titans draft him

By Vincent Frank

In a comment that could be misinterpreted to mean that the Tennessee Titans will select Marcus Mariota at No. 2 overall in the upcoming draft, head coach Ken Whisenhunt indicated that the team will start him should they select him at that spot.

In no way should this come as a surprise. If a team is willing to spend a top-five pick on a quarterback, that player should be a Day 1 starter.

The interesting dynamic in Tennessee is that the team already has a young quarterback in Zach Mettenberger and could very well look to trade out of that position with a quarterback-needy team.

That is what Whisenhunt could be angling for here by throwing praise Mariota’s way. Unfortunately, he doesn’t seem to have a good poker face.

With Jameis Winston slated to go No. 1 overall to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Titans will have an opportunity to either double down on the quarterback position or find upgrades elsewhere on the field.

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