Two New Mock Drafts Have Eagles Trading Up For Marcus Mariota
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) --- Don't shoot the messenger! The MM train to Philly is rolling, and there's no stopping it now.
Two NFL analysts released their unrelated new NFL mock drafts on Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively, and both of these highly respected analysts have the Eagles moving up in the first-round of this year's NFL draft to acquire Marcus Mariota.
1. Pat Kirwan of CBSSports.com - Eagles trade with Raiders
The first is Pat Kirwan of CBSSports.com, who has years of experience as an NFL coach, scout, and director of player administration. In Kirwan's mock draft, the Eagles send their 2015 and 2016 first-round picks, plus LeSean McCoy, to Oakland for the No. 4 overall pick to select Mariota.
"McCoy has three years left on his contract and the Raiders have plenty of cap space to absorb the contract," Kirwan writes. "If the Eagles have to throw in another player or later round pick to close the deal they should do it."
2. Peter King of Sports Illustrated - Eagles trade with Redskins
Next, is Peter King of Sports Illustrated and MMQB.com. King is one of the most respected football writers in the country and he agrees with Kirwan. King has the Eagles sending their 2015 first-and-second round picks and their 2016 first-and-fourth round picks to the Redskins, moving up to No. 5 to select Mariota.
"Washington could be moving from five to 20 in the first round by doing this deal, with GM Scot McCloughan scoring points with his new boss for not giving away the store in a trade, but rather acquiring the store," King writes. "This has so many poetic points to it. The Eagles gave Donovan McNabb to Washington a few Easters ago; now Washington would be giving a longer-term quarterback, theoretically, to Chip Kelly. Kelly would be reunited with the quarterback he recruited out of a Hawaii high school and helped make a star in college football."
94WIP Morning Show host Angelo Cataldi has been the first, biggest, and loudest supporter of the MM train to Philly. In fact, Cataldi even wore a Mariota No. 8 Eagles jersey during Wing Bowl 23.
"Peter King!" Cataldi exclaimed on Wednesday morning. "Hours after Pat Kirwan predicted the Eagles would obtain Mariota with the fourth pick, Peter King has the Eagles obtaining Mariota with the fifth pick. I'm not here, Al [Morganti], to ask for apologies. It's too early for that. It hasn't happened, nothing has happened yet, but I think you can see now many of the NFL experts in lockstep behind their leader---me.
"Who said it first, Al? You were here, who said it first?"
"You said it first," Morganti replied.
"Thank you. They are starting to lineup behind me," Cataldi continued. "Boys, line forms at the rear. I am your crusader for the Mariota."