The Tennessee Titans selected quarterback Marcus Mariota with the No. 2 overall pick in the NFL draft Thursday night.
General manager Ruston Webster and coach Ken Whisenhunt said they grew increasingly comfortable with Mariota during the pre-draft process, which included an NFL scouting combine meeting, a private workout and meeting after his pro day, and a visit to the team headquarters.
“Every minute we spent with him, it just felt better and better,” Webster said.
The Oregon Ducks star had been coveted by several teams. A league source said the Philadelphia Eagles and Chicago Bears were pushing hardest for the pick. A separate source told ESPN’s Bob Holtzman that the New York Jets, Cleveland Browns and St. Louis Rams also had talked with the Titans about the selection.
But ultimately, Webster said the team felt strongly that taking the Heisman Trophy winner was the way to go and that late in the process, the conversation was more about searching for a reason not to select him than it was about making the pick.
“It was going to be difficult to (continue reading)