Marcus Mariota on the cover? What could have been for NCAA Football 16

Oregon legendary quarterback Marcus Mariota could have been on the cover of EA Sports College Football 16 if franchise continued.

When nostalgia is done right, it can be epic, but when it’s done wrong, it can be a proverbial dumpster fire.

The gaming world is about to find out where the cookie crumbles when EA Sports’ College Football 25 comes out in July. All indications are there won’t be a dumpster fire to be found.

It’s been over a decade since EA has presented sports fans with a college football game due to legal reasons. Unfortunately, they had to stop right when Marcus Mariota was on the top of the world leading Oregon to a national title and holding a Heisman Trophy. CBS Sports says the Duck legend would have graced the cover of NCAA Football 16.

This was a very difficult cut to make, and it came down to a pair of quarterbacks that led their teams to a spot in the inaugural College Football Playoff: Mariota and Florida State’s Jameis Winston. Both won the Heisman, with Winston following in Johnny Manziel’s footsteps as a freshman winner while also becoming the youngest player to ever take the Heisman home. What sets Mariota apart, however, is his consistent success. It also helps that Mariota plays for Oregon and its imminently marketable uniforms, which look great emblazoned on any promotional material. — Will Buckus, CBS Sports

Mariota would have been the best call here, but it would have been comical to have a picture of Winston spinning himself into oblivion in the Rose Bowl on the cover.

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Pair of Ducks listed as top potential draft picks for 2025 NFL Draft

A pair of Ducks are projected to garner a lot of attention from NFL scouts for the 2025 draft.

The 2024 is still about four months away, but some are beginning to think about the 2025 NFL draft.

According to CBSsports.com writer Tom Fornelli, there are two Ducks that NFL scouts are going to pay close attention to. Transfer wide receiver Evan Stewart via Texas A&M and offensive lineman Josh Conerly Jr. are two of the 20 best players who will be draft eligible for 2025.

This is what Fornelli had to say about Oregon’s newest receiver.

Stewart was one of the top receivers in the 2022 class. Unlike (Missouri’s Luther) Burden, Stewart performed slightly better as a freshman than in his sophomore season. Still, most of that can likely be attributed to circumstances beyond Stewart’s control. Stewart has since transferred to Oregon, where he’s seen as the replacement for Troy Franklin in the Ducks’ offense. If Stewart puts together a big year in (green and yellow), he could play his way into the first round.

One of the reasons Stewart came to Oregon no doubt was to catch passes from Dillon Gabriel. The Ducks expect Gabriel to have an impact on the receivers similar to what Bo Nix had and Stewart should benefit greatly.

As for Conerly, the former five-star recruit will be a junior and should be one of the top offensive linemen in the Big Ten next season.

“Much like the QB class for next season, I’m not confident about who will be seen as the top tackle in next year’s draft,” Fornelli said. “Last year, it was Penn State’s Olu Fashanu and Notre Dame’s Joe Alt. Several candidates could step up this year, and Conerly is one of my favorites. Oregon’s offensive line was a significant strength last season, and Conerly was excellent in pass protection. He has the production and the traits to garner NFL attention.”

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