There are a number of NFL teams Marcus Mariota could wind up with on Thursday night, but the former Oregon star’s father is hoping his son ends up reuniting with his old coach.
ESPN’s Sal Paolantonio reports that Mariota’s father, Toa, wants to see the Philadelphia Eagles trade up and draft his son.
“I also heard from a number of people within the Mariota camp that Mariota’s father, Toa, has been telling friends and family that he would like to see his son reunited with Chip Kelly, drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles,” Paolantonio said.
Opinions are currently mixed regarding whether the Eagles can offer enough to persuade the Tennessee Titans to trade the No. 2 overall pick. Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports believes Chip Kelly will go all out to get his man, while several other reputable reporters doubt any team will be able to convince the Titans to trade the pick.
It makes sense that Mariota’s father would want his son to be drafted by the coach who recruited him and with whom he enjoyed success. Kelly runs a similar offense in Philadelphia to the one he ran at Oregon, and we know Mariota is comfortable with that style of play.
As of now, it seems like the most likely scenario — if there is a trade — would be some sort of three-team deal involving the Titans, Eagles and Cleveland Browns. The Browns reportedly believe they can acquire Sam Bradford from Philly, but it remains to be seen if they want to make that move. One thing has become clear — Kelly wants to draft his former quarterback and is working very hard to make it happen.
