Eagles reportedly want to draft Marcus Mariota

The Philadelphia Eagles are reportedly interested in exploring how they can trade up in the NFL Draft to select Marcus Mariota.

Mark Eckel of NJ.com reports that a source familiar with the Eagles’ offseason plans believes the team will try to move up from their current spot — No. 20 — in an attempt to reunite Chip Kelly with his former quarterback. Considering that may mean trading all the way up to No. 1, it sounds like a long-shot.

“From No. 20, it’s certainly not going to be easy,” the source told Eckel. “It’s probably going to take moving up twice to do it. There’s going to be some wheeling and dealing involved.”

Kelly recruited Mariota to Oregon and coached the Heisman Trophy winner in his first two seasons with the Ducks. Kelly predicted several months ago that Mariota would win the Heisman and called him “the most talented kid I coached in college.”

Trading up that far in the first round would cost a ton. The Eagles would have to give up multiple picks this year, at least one future first-rounder and possibly a quality player or two to pull something like that off. For that reason, a move of that magnitude seems unlikely.

That said, the Eagles could be in the market for a starting quarterback. Mark Sanchez is set to become a free agent and could wind up with a desperate team that is willing to give him another shot as a starter. Nick Foles has looked like a good fit for Kelly’s system at times, but then we read reports like this and his future in Philly sounds grim.

Many people wonder if Mariota will be effective in the NFL or if he is simply a great college quarterback. The thought of Kelly coaching him again is incredibly intriguing.