It didn't take long for Marcus Mariota to make an impression on his Tennessee Titans teammates.
"He is faster than I thought," linebacker Zach Brown said Tuesday after the team's first session of OTAs, per the Tennessean. "He is an athletic quarterback. He didn't win the Heisman for nothing."
Mariota described his first practice with NFL veterans as "definitely different" and "a lot faster" than anything he experienced during his 41 games at Oregon.
The second overall pick took first-team reps ahead of Zach Mettenberger and connected on a rash of throws downfield. Mariota also took the blame for his lone interception, but his scampers outside the pocket left an impression.
"One time he took off -- I was guarding (tight end) Delanie (Walker) -- and I turned around and I was like, 'Where is he?'" Brown said. "He is fast. He impressed me. He is still a rookie and he has to learn, but he is a cool guy. I haven't seen him get frustrated yet."
We post this report with the caveat that late-May practices help newbie passers appear like the next incarnation of Otto Graham. We won't have a real read on Mariota until live opponents start ripping through the line to pull him apart -- but so far, so good.
The latest Around The NFL Podcast discusses the latest news including Ray McDonald's release and the Adrian Peterson drama with the Vikings. Find more Around The NFL content on NFL NOW.
