We've all heard the same analysis: the Philadelphia Eagles offensive success comes from its effective, up-tempo system. It's the reason why DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin had career years in it. It's the reason why Nick Foles and Mark Sanchez have put up respectable numbers in it. It's all about the system, not the individual players.
I understand what NFL observers mean when they say that. But if it's all about the system, why shouldn't the Eagles target an individual player most qualified to run it? I'm talking, of course, about Marcus Mariota, who is expected to be one of the first two quarterbacks selected in the 2015 NFL draft. Most mock drafts have Mariota being taken anywhere between first overall by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and sixth by the New York Jets. Hell, some mocks even project the Cleveland Browns to trade up for him to replace Johnny Manziel. The Eagles, at No. 20, are obviously not in range. But could (and should) they try and maneuver their way into the top five?
"Philadelphia will need better quarterback play to get far in the playoffs," Vince Verhei of Football Outsiders wrote.
"Which brings us to Mariota, who played for Kelly at Oregon. College football has undergone some radical changes in the past four or five seasons, and that has made it more difficult to project how quarterback performance will translate from the amateur ranks to the pros. That said, Mariota shines in all the statistical categories that have indicated NFL success in the past. He started 41 NCAA games. He completed 67 percent of his passes in his career. He averaged 6.6 yards per carry and 54.6 rushing yards per game, so he has good mobility. But, unlike say Tim Tebow, he didn't run so often that it's hard to judge his passing prowess. And any concerns that Mariota might be a product of his system would be irrelevant in Philadelphia, which is running the same system anyway.
"As an early guess, it would cost Philadelphia their top two draft picks this year (at a minimum) to move up from 20 and get Mariota. That's a small price to pay for the perfect quarterback for Kelly's offense."
Despite finishing 10-6 this past season, Philly missed out on the post-season. While Foles and Sanchez were far from Christian Ponder-levels of bad, their combined passer rating of 84.9 in 2014 was lower than Kyle Orton, Jay Cutler and Alex Smith. Kelly likely believes that the team is just a quarterback away from putting them over the top. His familiarity and relationship with Mariota would make the addition a logical move. Whether Mariota can succeed at the next level is another question entirely.
The first round of the 2015 NFL draft will kick off on April 30th.
