There are two top tier quarterback prospects in this year’s NFL draft. The first, Jameis Winston, hails from a pro-style offense with a personality that is as strong as his arm. He has shown the ability to call a play in the huddle, make pre-snap reads and consistently play from under center. On the other end of the spectrum he has shown inconsistent decision-making both on and off the field.

The other, Marcus Mariota, is a spread quarterback who is as introverted as Winston is boisterous. He never had to call a play at Oregon or make any pre-snap reads and rarely played under center. However, he was deadly accurate and showcased poise in and out of the pocket, all while making good decisions on a consistent basis.

Which one would you take? This is a question that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers must answer and one, that each team after them, will answer as well.

Winston’s evaluation is pretty straight forward as the NFL has seen similarly talented players with baggage before. However, Mariota’s evaluation will be much more difficult.

Even though Mariota was never asked to make pre-snap reads or call plays, it doesn’t mean he can’t do it or that he won’t thrive in that kind of situation. Having said that, Mariota knows that he will face a steep learning curve once he enters the NFL.

“I think any process, any transition into this game, going into the NFL, is going to be tough,” Mariota said at the Maxwell Football Gala. “I think for me, the biggest step for me is I’m going to learn whatever system I go into and find ways to be able to learn it as fast as I can and be able to execute.”

That process will be critical to Mariota’s success in the NFL. If a team throws Mariota into the fire early, as most high picks are, he may struggle and ultimately fail because he wasn’t given adequate time to make the necessary changes and adaptations to succeed in the NFL. This issue is one that Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly brought up recently.

“I like seeing who he (Mariota) goes to and unfortunately for him usually when you go number 1 or 2 or the top 5 you go to a team that is not very good and it takes a little time to develop,” Kelly said. “He seems like a quarterback who has his wits about him. He’s very smart. He seems like a good kid. That’s a good start, but you have to be able to do it on the field. I see all the intangibles that you need to have to be a great quarterback and I look forward to it and hope he is one because this league needs some great quarterbacks.”

At Oregon, Mariota was a great quarterback as he amassed over 10,500 passing yards, 2,200 rushing yards, 135 total touchdowns with only 14 interceptions. You’re not going to find many quarterbacks who can reach that level of production. However, it is debatable as to how much of that production is translatable to the NFL.

The answer is incredibly complex and nuanced. Mariota showcased each trait that you look for from a star quarterback at the next level; toughness, poise, accuracy, arm strength, decision making and the ability to make plays outside of the structure of the offense. Nevertheless, he rarely showed those traits together. Instead, he showed bits and pieces of each because, in Oregon’s offense, he wasn’t asked to demonstrate all those traits consistently.

Another aspect of Mariota’s game that will be constantly criticized is his personality. Much like Teddy Bridgewater last year, Mariota doesn’t have the A-type of personality who takes control of every room he enters. Instead, Mariota and Bridgewater lead by example through their hard work and dedication as they let their performances speak for them in lieu of their mouths.

This ludicrous notion that a star quarterback has to be this vocal leader of the football team is one there appears to permeate front offices throughout the NFL. In reality, if a quarterback gets the job done on the field, his teammates will respect him and follow his lead, no matter how much swagger he has.

Mariota’s success in the NFL will have nothing to do with his temperament, in actuality; his success likely depends largely on where he gets drafted. If he goes to a team who throws him to the wolves quickly, there is a high probability that he will struggle and bust; however, if he goes to a team that is patient and allows him to adapt his game to the NFL, Mariota could be one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL.

Oftentimes, the best quarterbacks in the NFL break the mold of various stereo types; in terms of how the NFL view mobile quarterbacks from spread offenses, Mariota has a chance to do the same.