QB Mariota forgoes NFL Draft to play at Oregon another season

EUGENE, Ore. (KPTV) -- Oregon Ducks quarterback Marcus Mariota will return to the University of Oregon for his junior season, the Ducks athletic program announced Tuesday.

Mock drafts on websites like Sports Illustrated and CBS Sports predicted as recently as this week that Mariota would be the No. 2 pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, but the redshirt sophomore from Hawaii says he'll instead be back in Eugene for at least one more season.

"I look forward to earning my degree next year and to the rest of my career at this great university," he told the Ducks official website.

Mariota threw for 3,412 yards and 30 touchdowns as a sophomore, while completing 63 percent of his passes.

Oregon Ducks junior Hroniss Grasu, who, like Mariota, earned all-Pac-12 accolades this week, will also return for the Ducks' 2014 season.