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Bowles On Possibly Picking Mariota: Jets Going Best Player Available In Draft

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- The Jets are not going to reach for anyone with their first pick in the draft. As far as they are concerned, who they end up choosing will be about talent, not about need.

If that player ends up being Marcus Mariota, who most draft experts are predicting will fall to the Jets at No. 6, so be it, Todd Bowles told NFL Network recently. But if it's not, don't be surprised.

"We're going to take the best player," he said. "I think (general manager) Mike (Maccagnan) said it earlier that we're going to take the best player available. We're not going to deviate from our board and if that happens to be a quarterback, then we'll take a quarterback."

The Jets were at Mariota's pro day at Oregon recently and came away impressed. However, despite the fact that the franchise has been searching forever for a franchise quarterback, both Bowles and Maccagnan have hinted that they feel comfortable right now letting incumbent Geno Smith and recently acquired Ryan Fitzpatrick battle it out in training camp for the starting job.

"(Smith) is the No. 1 guy right now," Bowles said. "Fitzpatrick is injured and we don't have a draft yet, but we're looking at a competition there based on the way he finished the last game and some of the things he did. He did a great job doing that but without seeing him and sitting down and talking to him it's kind of hard to say right now. He has made some strides."

Whether Mariota will be in the mix remains to be seen, though many believe he's a year away from being a viable NFL starter. Hall of Famer Joe Namath reportedly wants the Jets to take Mariota, but said he has his doubts he'll even be on the board at No. 6.

Namath likely feels that way because there's at least one team that picks before the Jets that likes Mariota. Most experts have Tampa Bay taking Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston with the first pick, but it's possible Mariota could end up with Tennessee at No. 2, though Titans head coach Ken Whisenhunt may just putting out feelers for a possible trade down.

Based on what Bowles and Maccagnan have said over the last few weeks it doesn't sound like they are willing to trade up for anyone right now.

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