2015 NFL Draft: Teams Most Likely to Trade Up for Marcus Mariota

When it comes to looking ahead to the 2015 NFL season, there's not much out there for quarterback-hungry teams. There's enough to acquire if a team needs depth, but those that need a starter are out of luck.

Entering the 2015 NFL draft, there are two first-round talents in Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota. While they are great prospects, they are not slam-dunk picks like others have been in years past, such as Andrew Luck.

Presuming Tampa Bay takes Winston with the first overall pick, something that can change in the next two months, that leaves one QB who can arguably start quickly available. That means teams will be clamoring to try to acquire him.

If the Titans pass on him, there are several teams that don't need a QB, leaving the door open for a trade. Which teams would be most likely to make that plunge?

4. Kansas City Chiefs

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The Chiefs have a solid quarterback in Alex Smith, and they have needs elsewhere. So why would they grab a quarterback in a weak draft when they could build up elsewhere and bounce back next year?

In short, if they were to do this, it would be the result of one person: head coach Andy Reid. Reid wants a quarterback who he can not only build up, but can be a true dual threat. Donovan McNabb and Michael Vick were in Philadelphia, and as evident by his rushing numbers, Alex Smith has become that in Kansas City under Reid.

The Chiefs have the 18th overall pick, so if they were going to trade up, it would have to be after Mariota fell a bit so they don't overpay. That being said, the team would be a great fit for Mariota, and if Alex Smith remained with the team, he would be an ideal mentor for Mariota, as noted by NFL.com's Bucky Brooks.

If the Chiefs traded up to get him or if Mariota fell to them, it would be the shock of the draft. After that shock wears off, however, it would end up being a good move for the future for Kansas City.

3. Cleveland Browns

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With the recent signing of Josh McCown, the rumor mill has now gotten quiet in regards to the Browns and Mariota. The signing makes it unlikely the Browns would trade up, but there's a reason the rumors started up in the first place.

The Browns haven't had a stable quarterback since their return to the league in 1999, and no matter who starts in 2015, that trend will continue. McCown is a bridge quarterback at best, and who knows what the situation is with Johnny Manziel moving forward?

The Browns have two first-round picks, so that makes a trade a lot easier than it is for other teams, as they could package the picks and others to move up. Doing that, however, means they are on their third first-round quarterback in four years, and that's failure no matter how you look at it.

Even if that's a long shot, you cannot discount new quarterbacks coach Kevin O'Connell's working with Mariota. If the QB coach is comfortable with Mariota, more so than he is with McCown or Manziel, then who knows what could happen on draft day?

2. St. Louis Rams

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Unlike the first and most obvious team on this list, this possibility has garnered virtually no traction, primarily due to them already having a quarterback in Sam Bradford. Despite this, the move makes some sense.

Sam Bradford has one year left on his rookie contract, and after missing all of last season, it's uncertain if he is the Rams' quarterback of the future. Grabbing a quarterback now and learning behind Bradford, rather than having to find a new one next year if Bradford leaves, makes this intriguing.

The Rams have the 10th pick in the draft, and NFL Media's Gil Brandt (h/t NFL.com's Daniel Kim) notes QB as one of the team's draft needs. They may not need to trade all that much to get into position to pick Mariota up and may even be able to acquire more if they traded Bradford. But nothing significant has happened on that front so far, according to NFL.com's Ian Rapoport (h/t SI.com).

If Mariota falls to the Rams, which is unlikely, don't be shocked if they take the chance and pick him up. Trading up to get him is less likely, especially since they are trying to stay competitive in the tough NFC West and did a solid job of it last year despite losing Bradford. It's not impossible, though, especially if they are able to move up for almost nothing.

1. Philadelphia Eagles

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Rumors have been swirling about a Chip Kelly-Marcus Mariota reunion for a long time, and the rumors only get stronger with each passing week. The latest one states that, according to Metro's Kristian Dyer, there is a 100 percent chance that the Eagles would make a trade with the New York Jets for their sixth overall pick if Mariota was available.

The Eagles are not afraid to make a bold move, which they have proven this very offseason with the LeSean McCoy trade, and having to buy the pick at a premium might not faze Kelly. Furthermore, the Jets are not as enamored with Mariota as the Eagles are, so if they get to stockpile draft picks, then they would be happy with that.

Most importantly, you cannot discount Kelly's love for acquiring Oregon talent. New linebacker Kiko Alonso is one of nine Oregon Ducks on the Eagles roster. He's comfortable with those players and that style of offense, which is the main mark against Mariota in the draft. If there's one person who won't mind the playbook he ran in college, it's Kelly.

The only thing that might keep Kelly from acquiring Mariota is the Buccaneers; if they pass on him, then it's probably a matter of when, not if, he dons an Eagles uniform.