Despite a growing number of reports to the contrary - and despite the desperate hopes of a fair number of Philadelphia Eagles fans - it sounds like Oregon QB Marcus Mariota may not be set for a slide in the 2015 NFL Draft after all.
It's a consistent theme with the draft - highly touted college QB's either rise in the first-round due to the importance of the position and the propensity for NFL GM's to fall in love and overvalue certain characteristics - Jake Locker, Blaine Gabbert - or they free-fall due to concern over one or another area of their franchise-quarterback potential - Aaron Rodgers, Teddy Bridgewater.
"This year, the rumors have started up that a slide could happen to Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota. However, we have reached out to sources from numerous teams, and they've told us that they don't believe that Mariota will slide," writes Charlie Campbell of Walter Football. "They feel he is very safe in the top 10. All of the teams said that Mariota has graded ahead of Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles, who was the third-overall pick last year, so Mariota should hear his name called quickly on draft day."
Bortles was selected highly thanks to his physical attributes and development potential and despite concerns over his limited production as only a two-year starter and the one-read offense he helmed at Central Florida. Mariota faces similar questions about the offense he operated at Oregon and his ability to transfer his prodigious natural gifts to an NFL passing attack.
But even so, it may prove extremely difficult for Eagles head coach Chip Kelly, rumored to be seeking a trade-up in the draft in order to reunite with his former Oregon pupil, to nab Mariota as he won't fall as far as expected - if at all.
"Every team said that Mariota has graded ahead of Bortles," writes Campbell. "One team picking in the top 10 even said that it wasn't even close. Another team skilled at evaluating quarterbacks echoed those thoughts."
With Jameis Winston expected to go first-overall to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the potentially quarterback-needy Tennessee Titans sitting pretty at No. 2 in the first-round - not to mention the New York Jets at six, the St. Louis Rams at 10 and the Cleveland Browns at 12 and 19 all interested in adding a quarterback - it's a potential draft-day minefield and creates a situation wherein it may be nigh on impossible for the Eagles to reach Mariota.
