Mariota: 'Coach Kelly Always Has A Purpose For What He Does'
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) --- It won't go away. And frankly, it shouldn't.
It being the number one sports debate in Philadelphia: Will Eagles coach Chip Kelly figure out a way, any type of way, to draft Marcus Mariota?
The Eagles have the 20th pick in round one. Mariota, the reigning Heisman Trophy winning QB who played under Kelly at Oregon, is expected to be a top-five selection (probably the first or second pick). So how is this match even possible?
"I'm not sure," Mariota told Mike Francesa Wednesday on WFAN in New York, when asked if Kelly can construct some sort of trade to move up in the draft. "I've talked to Coach Kelly a couple of times, kind of closer towards the combine where he kind of asked me how I was doing and kind of checking in, being a mentor of some sort. We'll have to see. I'm not sure what he's planning.
Listen: Marcus Mariota on WFAN
"But I do know this, that Coach Kelly always has a purpose for what he does. No matter what, he's gonna find what makes his team the best one come the first game of the season."
With only eight days before the NFL draft kicks off on Thursday, April 30th, Mariota explained how he still has no idea where he will end up.
"It's crazy. I think it's pretty wide open," Mariota admitted. "My agent says at this time in the process you usually have a good idea of where you might end up. He told me yesterday, he was like, 'Dude, I have no idea.' Just go ahead and enjoy the process and we'll see what happens."
The 6'4" 21-year-old quarterback has been criticized at times for his accuracy, but referred to Oregon's system as something that will help his game translate to the NFL.
"A lot of teams I've talked to has said, the stuff that I did at Oregon will help me in my transition," Mariota explained. "I think a lot of the concepts, a lot of the stuff that we did as a offense was similar to some of the concepts that pro teams run."
One thing we all can agree on is, no system fits Mariota better than Kelly's.
