Titans: Plan is to start Marcus Mariota in Week 1

Titans coach Ken Whisenhunt said that the team plans to start Marcus Mariota at quarterback in Week 1. Tennessee selected Mariota with the No. 2 pick in Thursday's draft.

Before the Titans made their pick, there were rumblings that teams could try to acquire Mariota in a trade. But general manager Ruston Webster said the team will not trade Mariota.

Mariota served as Oregon's starting quarterback for three seasons. He led the Ducks to 36 wins, passed for more than 10,000 yards and won the Heisman Trophy in 2014. This season Mariota, a native of Honolulu, Hawaii, helped Oregon reach the championship game of the inaugural College Football Playoff, where it fell to Ohio State.

With the first pick in the draft, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected another quarterback, Florida State's Jameis Winston. Mariota was ranked second on SI.com's list of the top 64 prospects in this draft class, behind only USC defensive tackle Leonard Williams.

Writer Doug Farrar noted that Mariota "ran a heavy Pistol play-action offense which translates better to the NFL than some may think" but that he "benefited from an offense designed to create an easy open receiver, against college defenses playing back for the most part—Mariota will find a much tougher go in the NFL when his first read isn't open."

• 2015 NFL draft tracker: Pick-by-pick grades and scouting reports

Ken Whisenhunt: "We have a plan (with Mariota). You have to push him, challenge him." #Titans
— Jim Wyatt (@jwyattsports) May 1, 2015

GALLERY: SCENES FROM THE NFL DRAFT

2015 NFL Draft in Pictures

The stage prior to the start of the first round of the 2015 NFL Draft at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University in Chicago.

Don Juan Moore/Characterlines for Sports Illustrated

Jameis Winston takes the call from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who made him the first pick.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers fans react after their team drafted former Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston with the first overall pick during the NFL draft party in Tampa, Fla.

Jameis Winston posed for SI in his new team's jersey after he was taken No. 1.

Marcus Mariota at his draft party in Honolulu.

Washington defensive lineman Danny Shelton picks up NFL commissioner Roger Goodell as he celebrates after being selected by the Cleveland Browns as the 12th pick.

Fans cheer after Kevin White of the West Virginia Mountaineers was picked seventh by the Chicago Bears.

Bears fans cheer Chicago's selection of Kevin White of West Virginia Mountaineers.

Dante Fowler with commissioner Roger Goodell after being drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Stanford offensive lineman Andrus Peat, right, talks to Deion Sanders after being selected by the New Orleans Saints as the 13th pick in the first round.

Green Bay Packers fans cheer during the first round of the draft.

A look at some of the NFL team representatives at the draft.

Kentucky linebacker Bud Dupree celebrates after being selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers as the 22nd pick in the first round.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers fans Keith Kunzig and David Miller are excited to have traveled from Florida to be at the first round of the 2015 NFL Draft.

Shane Ray checks out his threads.

Leonard Williams is interviewed outside the draft venue before being taken by the New York Jets.

Jameis Winston waiting for the call.

The scene inside the Jameis Winston draft gathering.

X159534_TK1_174.w.JPG — Kent Nishimura for SI

Marcus Mariotta in Hawaii before the first round began.

img_54cc-3ada.w.JPG — Todd Rosenberg for SI

Two Patriots fans in Chicago.

Buffalo Bills Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly arriving at the NFL Draft.

img_c019-5024.w.JPG — Todd Rosenberg for SI

Chicago mounted police before the first round commenced.

img_3bf6-3442.w.JPG — Todd Rosenberg for SI

Dante Fowler's shoes on draft night.

Chicago welcomed the NFL Draft with open arms.

The view from outside Roosevelt University Auditorium Theatre.

NFL prospect Trae Waynes of Michigan State talks to pediatric patient Alec Cabacungan while doing a mock interview during the NFL PLAY 60 activities at Shriners Hospital for Children on Thursday, April 30 in Chicago.

Add us as a preferred source on Google