2015 NFL Draft: What if Marcus Mariota Falls?

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are intriguing, but neither offer the Houston Texans a proven commodity. QB is up in the air. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

Houston Texans

Draft Position: No. 16

Current Quarterback: Brian Hoyer, 29 years old

Other Draft Needs: WR, OC, S

There’s a good chance that Marcus Mariota could be selected at No. 2 overall by the Tennessee Titans. He could also come off the board at No. 5 to the Washington Redskins, No. 6 to the New York Jets and No. 12 to the Cleveland Browns.

Thus, if he drops outside of the Top 15, that’s a case of him falling down draft boards—albeit to a lesser extent than in the other outlined scenarios.

The Houston Texans acquired Brian Hoyer, but that’s hardly a deal breaker on the topic of drafting Mariota. He played well as Cleveland’s starter, but in 2014, he only threw for 12 touchdowns to 13 interceptions.

It may be bigger than numbers, but sometimes, statistics tell a story.

With Hoyer signed to a two-year deal—and a cheap one, at that—Mariota could sit behind him and study the trends of the NFL. Rather than placing him in a Johnny Manziel situation, this would give Hoyer the opportunity to be a genuine mentor.

Bill O’Brien is a quarterback specialist, so drafting his own would make sense.

Next: Preparing to Move On