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NFL

By Joe Torosian

The Draft Drama, always built on shifting sand, continues to change from one day to the next.

In several mock drafts Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota has climbed up the Draft board to the top spot, ahead of Florida State’s Jameis Winston, and is having his name circulated in numerous trade options.

“If not for Winston’s off the field issues he would be a slam dunk as the number one pick in the draft,” says ESPN Draft expert Mel Kiper Jr.

In the modern draft era Oregon has had three quarterbacks taken in the first round. Chris Miller, taken by the Atlanta Falcons in the 1987 Draft, was the best of them. Joey Harrington (Detroit-2002) and Akili Smith (Cincinnati-1999) were the other two.

Time to dial Ghostbusters.

Ducks/NFL Draft history looks like this: Dennis Dixon, Kellen Clemens, A.J. Feeley, Tony Graziani, and Bill Musgrave…But they do have Hall of Famer Dan Fouts taken in the third round by the San Diego Chargers in 1973…Alas Fouts never did make it to a Super Bowl.

Now if you’re a Winston guy here’s the Florida State record of quarterbacks taken number one: Christian Ponder (Minnesota—2011) and EJ Manuel (2013).

If you want to look a little deeper in Seminole/NFL history it is true Brad Johnson, a 9th round pick by the Vikings in 1992, did win a Super Bowl with Tampa Bay in 2002. Of course other FSU/NFL Draft alumni do include; Peter Tom Willis, Casey Weldon, Chris Weinke, Danny Kanell, Gary Huff, Bill Cappleman, and Kim Hammond.

Hardly the legion of doom.

For Oakland—Soon to be St. Louis/San Antonio—Raider fans 80% of the Draft experts have them taking West Virginia wide receiver Kevin White. The other 20% have them going with Alabama’s Amari Cooper with the fourth overall pick.

For the St.Louis/Los Angeles Ram fans many names have been tossed out. Among them: Michigan State cornerback Trae Waynes, Iowa guard Brandon Scherf, Oregon’s Mariota, White from West Virginia, and Miami tackle Ereck Flowers.

Back to the Quarterbacks: Did you know in the modern Draft era, since the merger, the Rams have drafted 27 quarterbacks. None have won a Super Bowl, two have started Super Bowls (Vince Ferragamo & Ron Jaworski) and only one, Sam Bradford in 2010, was a first round pick. The most starts by a drafted Rams quarterback for the Rams? Pat Haden with 55 between 1976-1981.

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For the Record: NFL/HALL OF FAME GAME between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Minnesota Vikings will be on NBC, Sunday night, August 9th.

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Back to the Draft:

Did you know that every player, all 253, taken in the 1999 NFL Draft is now out of the league?

From the 2000 Draft only two remain on active rosters: Oakland Raiders kicker Sebastian Janikowski and some guy named Tom Brady.

From the 2001 Draft only ten remain on active rosters and from the 2005 Draft only 43 of the 255 picked by NFL teams.

Oldest active players in the NFL Draft go back to 1998 and they are Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning and Oakland Raiders safety Charles Woodson.