Heisman Winner Marcus Mariota Goes From Oregon Captain to NFL Draft Prospect

Each year, college football produces a Heisman Trophy winner, and that player is always a huge topic of discussion. It is often speculated what role the coveted athlete will hold in the NFL, and this year is no exception. Oregon Ducks captain Marcus Mariota won the trophy, and has now officially announced his eligibility for the NFL Draft. Of course, others are wondering how his poor performance in the Championship game may impact his chances.

Before he played for the University of Oregon, Mariota attended St. Louis High School in Honolulu, Hawaii. While there, he was a two-sport star in both football and track.

Interestingly, Mariota's skill in football went relatively unnoticed until his senior year. As a senior, he led St. Louis to an 11-1 record and the state title.

He has earned many different titles and awards, but the most impressive of all has, of course, been the Heisman.

The winner of this award usually has a pretty good shot at the pros, and this year was no exception. According to Yahoo Sports, Mariota will be forgoing his senior year in college to pursue a career in the NFL:

"Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota has declared his eligibility for the NFL draft. The Ducks quarterback announced on Oregon's website on Wednesday that he would forgo his senior season. The school said he filed paperwork on Wednesday, a day before the NFL deadline. Mariota was the humble leader of Oregon's high-flying offense. The 13-2 Ducks defeated Florida State in the Rose Bowl in college football's first playoffs, but fell 42-20 to Ohio State in Monday night's national championship game."

Also, those who saw the game knows that the team's dramatic loss can be partially blamed on Mariota. According to Bleacher Report, Marcus did not do much to stop Ohio from winning:

"There's a lot of blame to go around for the loss, and Mariota deserves his share...Other than Oregon's inability to stop Ohio State's rushing attack, the main storyline was Mariota's poor performance in the red zone. It's been a weakness in his otherwise spotless game for some time. On Monday night, it became far more noticeable than before. When the field shrunk and the windows got tight, Mariota had just two completions on five attempts for 10 yards and a touchdown pass.

In that game did Mariota show that he buckles under pressure? Will this affect his chances in the Draft? Let us know your opinions in the comment section below.