NFL draft kicks off with highly anticipated first pick

Last Updated Apr 30 2015 10 58 PM EDT

CHICAGO You don't pass up a potential franchise quarterback.

Not in today's pass happy NFL.

So Jameis Winston is headed to Tampa Bay as the first overall selection and Marcus Mariota goes to Tennessee at No. 2. They'll take their Heisman Trophies (Winston in 2013 Mariota last year) and try to turn two downtrodden franchises into contenders maybe even champions.

Neither was in Chicago choosing to watch and celebrate at home with their families.

Complete NFL draft coverage on CBSSports.com CBS This Morning Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston cleared of sexual assault allegations

An independent judge ruled there was insufficient evidence to find that the Heisman Trophy winner violated the student code of conduct. A woman a...

It was the sixth time since 1967 that quarterbacks went 1 2 and this was no surprise. The biggest question was whether Florida State's Winston had too much off field baggage for the Bucs. Obviously not.

His college coach Jimbo Fisher has no doubts either.

There are always bumps in the road Fisher said. But as far as on the field he'll learn. He has an unbelievable ability to learn and learn fast.

Off the field he's an extremely great guy. People will be shocked with how he represents (the Bucs).

That's a high priority Winston said.

It's a family town. And great men like Derrick Brooks and coach Lovie Smith and people like Mike Alstott make that town the way it is and that's part of the football community. I look forward to getting involved in the football community and even the Tampa Bay community itself. I was blessed to have those men in my life before this process started.

CBS This Morning NFL turns draft into football extravaganza

Pro football's next generation of stars will be on display Thursday night. The NFL is holding its annual draft in Chicago for the first time in m...

Some questioned Mariota having barely taken any snaps behind center in Oregon's quick tempo attack but Titans coach Ken Whisenhunt who has done big things with such veteran quarterbacks as Ben Roethlisberger Kurt Warner and Philip Rivers clearly isn't concerned.

He's a talented young man who has a very good feel for the position and how to process those things Whisenhunt said and we're excited to get a chance to work with him.

Naturally Mariota isn't worried about the doubters either.

I believe in my abilities and the hard work that I've put in he said. And that's one thing is that I can't control other people's opinions. I've just got to do what I can do and that's putting in the hard work and getting ready for the next chapter. People are always going to have their opinions and say what they want to say.

Winston and Mariota who each had a year of eligibility remaining will meet in the season opener in Tampa Bay.

The next two picks also were underclassmen. Linebacker Dante Fowler Jr. of Florida headed upstate a bit to Jacksonville then Oakland grabbed Alabama wide receiver Amari Cooper.

The first senior taken was Iowa tackle Brandon Scherff by Washington in the fifth spot a bit of a surprise.

Tampa has the receivers to help Winston in Vincent Jackson and Mike Evans both of whom went over 1 000 yards last year despite shoddy quarterbacking. Tennessee can't make the same claim.

Each of those teams went 2 14 in 2014 but coaches Smith and Whisenhunt in their first seasons in charge survived the awful record. Now they presumably have the main building tool.

After Scherff the Jets normally heavily cheered when the draft was held in New York it's in Chicago for the first time in 51 years were loudly booed when they went on the clock. And when they went for Southern Cal DT Leonard Williams rated by some as the best overall player in this crop the jeers increased exponentially.

Why Because the Bears were next up and need a dynamic player at the position.

Still the local team was cheered as if Jay Cutler had just thrown for a TD when it grabbed West Virginia's game breaking receiver Kevin White. After trading top wideout Brandon Marshall to the Jets the Bears had a big void there.

Dan Quinn the Falcons' new coach after he helped build Seattle's dynamic defense got a nice tool in Clemson linebacker Vic Beasley. The Giants selected Miami offensive tackle Ereck Flowers and St. Louis finished off the top 10 in which there were no trades by taking Georgia running back Todd Gurley who comes off a major knee injury.

The pick drew some reactions of disbelief from the crowd of 2 800 in the theater and 50 000 outside in what the league calls Draft Town. No RBs went in the first round of the past two drafts.

He's special yeah he is Rams coach Jeff Fisher said. When his career is over he'll be a great pick.

Minnesota took the first defensive back Michigan State's Trae Waynes and then the proceedings got a big lift.

Well it was actually Roger Goodell who got the lift when 339 pound DT Danny Shelton of Washington bear hugged him and elevated the commissioner about a foot off the ground.

Shelton dressed in Samoan garb was chosen by Cleveland then the Saints got Stanford OT Andrus Peat and the Dolphins bolstered their receiving group with Louisville's DeVante Parker.

Finally a trade was made with San Diego moving up two spots to 15 to get another running back Wisconsin's record setting Melvin Gordon. San Francisco got the Chargers' first rounder a fourth rounder and next year's fifth rounder.

From Winston until Marcus Peters went to Kansas City at No. 18 no players with major behavioral issues in college were chosen. The cornerback was dismissed from the Washington Huskies last year after several arguments with coaches.

He's got to keep his emotions in check and I think he'll do that coach Andy Reid said. He's not a troublemaker off the field that's not what he is. He's not a problem in the locker room that's not what he is. Just those competitive juices you have to know how to control those.

First Round SelectionsTampa Bay Jameis Winston qb Florida State.Tennessee Marcus Mariota qb Oregon.Jacksonville Dante Fowler Jr. lb Florida.Oakland Amari Cooper wr Alabama.Washington Brandon Scherff ot Iowa.New York Jets Leonard Williams de Southern Cal.Chicago Kevin White wr West Virginia.Atlanta Vic Beasley de Clemson.New York Giants Ereck Flowers ot Miami.St. Louis Todd Gurley rb Georgia.Minnesota Trae Waynes db Michigan State.Cleveland Danny Shelton nt Washington.New Orleans Andrus Peat ot Stanford.Miami Devante Parker wr Louisville.San Diego (from San Francisco) Melvin Gordon rb Wisconsin.Houston Kevin Johnson db Wake Forest.San Francisco (from San Diego) Arik Armstead de Oregon.Kansas City Marcus Peters db Washington.Cleveland (from Buffalo) Cameron Erving g Florida State.Philadelphia Nelson Agholor wr Southern Cal.

Articles Source here