Heisman Trophy Winner Mariota Not Sure If He'll Throw During NFL Combine

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- He may end up being the No. 1 overall pick in this spring's NFL draft, but that doesn't mean Marcus Mariota has everyone convinced he's the best quarterback available.

Like many other pro hopefuls, Mariota is expected to show his stuff during the Combine from Feb. 17-23 in Indianapolis. The problem is, Oregon's star signal-caller may not be healthy enough to take part.

The 2014 Heisman Trophy winner suffered a shoulder injury during his team's national championship game loss to Ohio State and then skipped the Senior Bowl, which is always a top scouting event for NFL executives. He recently said he remains unsure of when he will be 100 percent.

"Right now we're still making that decision, whether to throw at the Combine" he said. "... I sprained the AC joint. But now, I'm able to throw. Feels good."

Mariota, who threw for 4,454 yards, 42 touchdowns and just four interceptions during his junior year at Oregon, has been projected to go first overall to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but there are many draft experts who feel Florida's State's Jameis Winston is the more NFL-ready talent.

Winston, the 2013 Heisman winner as a freshman, recently declared for the draft and has physical tools that have been compared to Ben Roethlisberger of the Pittsburgh Steelers, while Mariota, who has excelled not only as a pocket passer but also as a read-option quarterback, is said to be a bigger version of the Seattle Seahawks' Russell Wilson.

The NFL draft will be held from April 30-May 2 in Chicago.