Archives for February 20, 2014

‘"I wound up texting Stevie and he got back to me, we had a great conversation," Marrone said. "I told Stevie, ‘Listen, I’m excited about getting started with you. I’m excited about you coming in and being healthy and getting this team going. Whatever else you’re hearing is not coming from me. But if you hear anything else make sure you call me.”

‘Both worked as Georgia Tech, where Marrone introduced O’Brien to his future wife Colleen. The two worked together as assistant coaches on offense before parting ways. After two more college coaching positions, O’Brien and Marrone reached the NFL as assistants. They moved up the ranks to offensive coordinator jobs, Marrone with the Saints and O’Brien with the Patriots.’

‘”I think the biggest insight that you gain is the origin of these players, meaning that you’re able to go back and to go into high schools, going into homes of these players,” Marrone said when asked about the differences going from a college program back to the NFL. “We don’t have that opportunity here obviously, we get them at the NFL combine. When you get into more of the background when you’re in their homes and you see the challenges that they have or the adversity that they had to overcome.”‘

‘”Especially having myself come from the offensive side of the ball most of my career, I look at people and I say to myself, ‘Who did I not like going against?'” Marrone said at the NFL combine at Lucas Oil Stadium.’

‘"After the season was over, my evaluation, I told [Jairus] what I was gonna go to management with," the head coach said. "I told Jairus, I have nothing but great things to say. I have nothing but great things to recommend. And then now, that goes to Doug Whaley and then it goes to management and then they try to come up with something and try to see what’s best for both parties. But, I love him. I really do. He did an outstanding job for us."’

‘”From my perspective, this is the deepest and best draft class I’ve seen in probably 10 years. That’s been reinforced by most of the general managers and scouts I’ve talked to throughout the league,” said NFL Network draft analyst Mike Mayock, one of the most respected national talent evaluators. “I had one GM tell me the other day that having a top-20 pick this year is very similar to having a top 10 pick last year.’

‘The Buffalo Bills come into the 2014 NFL Scouting Combine with a much different mentality than they did in 2013, but the importance to get it right is as high as ever.’

‘”There’s more quality at the top end of this draft than I’ve seen in a long time and from a position standpoint,” Mayock said. “I think offensive tackle is particularly deep. You can go three rounds, four rounds deep this year, and get a starting offensive tackle.”‘