National Football League

Draft-day rumors: Eagles, Chip Kelly pushing hard for No. 2 pick, Mariota

Published Apr. 30, 2015 1:42 p.m. ET

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After months and months of rumors, innuendos and smoke screens, the NFL Draft is FINALLY here.

Well, almost. With Day 1 of the draft kicking off Thursday at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT from Chicago, we have one last day of poker faces by NFL general managers trying to make that franchise-altering, draft-day deal.

While most league insiders expect the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to pick Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston with the No. 1 overall pick, the big drama spotlights the Tennessee Titans at No. 2. Will they pick Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota, or will they hold out for a mega-deal from one of the Oregon Ducks QB's many reported suitors? (Ahem, Chip Kelly, we're looking at you, pal.)

For the latest pre-draft rumors in the final hours before NFL commissioner Roger Goodell hears his first mock boo in the Windy City, check the updates below -- and keep your "Refresh" trigger finger handy.

EAGLES DANGLING BRADFORD, COLE, KENDRICKS FOR MARIOTA? (5:28 p.m. ET)

With less than three hours until the NFL Draft begins, Jason Cole reports the Mariota sweepstakes is mainly focused on two potential trade partners for the Titans: the Browns and Eagles.

According to Cole, what could sweeten the pot for the Titans? Well, obviously a slew of draft picks -- as in multiple first-rounders. But the Titans reportedly also desire a franchise-level quarterback if they are to give up the No. 2 selection.

Cole says the Eagles and Chip Kelly are trying to avoid giving up too many picks of their own, instead trying to tempt Tennessee with a slew of players -- in some combination: QB Sam Bradford, DT Fletcher Cole and LB Michael Kendricks.

BUCS WANT WINSTON AT NO. 1 AND ANOTHER FIRST-ROUNDER? (4:42 p.m. ET)

Jameis Winston being picked by the Buccaneers at No. 1 overall may be the worst-kept secret ahead of the draft.

But according to ESPN's Ed Werder, Tampa Bay is very interested in trading up into the back end of the first round as well. If they do not deal, the Bucs pick at No. 34 overall early in Round 2.

WILL LSU'S COLLINS BE DRAFTED, OR EVEN ALLOWED TO BE? (2:57 p.m. ET)

What should be the happiest week in the life of LSU offensive line prospect La'el Collins has turned morbid, with the draft suddenly in jeopardy for Collins, once considered a no-brainer first-round projection.

His pregnant ex-girlfriend, Brittany Mills, was murdered by gunshot on April 24 in Baton Rouge, La. Police have said Collins is not a suspect, but the LSU star has not met with authorities regarding the investigation.

Not surprisingly, in the aftermath of the tragedy, several NFL teams reportedly do not plan to consider drafting him this weekend at all.

FOX Sports NFL insider Jay Glazer then later reported that Collins' agent is "trying to pull him from this draft allowing him time to clear his name then enter Supplemental Draft."

Glazer added it will be the "NFL's call if Collins can get pulled from this draft."

WOULD COWBOYS MAKE RUN AT MANZIEL? (1:37 p.m. ET)

Remember how much Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones openly lusted after Johnny Manziel before last year's draft?

ESPN's Ed Werder checked in with the team and reports "In event #Browns acquire Sam Bradford or another QB, I'm told #Cowboys not interested in trading for @@JManziel2 to replace Brandon Weeden" as backup quarterback.

GLAZER: WILL TAKE "HUGE" HAUL FOR TITANS TO DEAL NO. 2 PICK (12:21 p.m. ET)

With as many as five or six teams rumored to be sniffing around the second pick in the draft, the Tennessee Titans are in a prime position. And they seem poised to play every interested suitor in Marcus Mariota against one another.

Jay Glazer tweeted that the Titans are "telling teams inquiring about number 2 pick it's going to take a HUGEEEE value to pry it away" -- lending credence to recent reports that Tennessee coach Ken Whisenhunt genuinely likes Mariota and would be fine pitting him against the team's other young QB, Zach Mettenberger.

Additionally, Titans GM Rustin Webster reportedly told ESPN's Bob Holtzman that the Titans have spoken to 3-4 teams Thursday -- and that some of the talks have been "fairly substantial." The Tennessean's Jim Wyatt added that "In addition to Browns and Eagles, I've heard the #Jets (6th pick) and #Rams (10th) have also been in discussions with #Titans."

REPORT: BROWNS HAVE FEELING THEY'LL GET BRADFORD FROM PHILLY (11:32 a.m. ET)

Everyone is waiting to see what Philadelphia Eagles coach Chip Kelly -- now with complete personnel control in Philly -- will do next in this wacky offseason of his. And everyone knows the big prize in Kelly's eyes: Marcus Mariota, his former QB at Oregon.

In the final hours before the draft begins, could the chess pieces be falling into place for Kelly? According to Peter King, the Browns believe they stand an excellent chance to land Sam Bradford in a trade with the Eagles. That would likely mean some sort of exchange of at least one of Cleveland's first-round picks (either No. 12 or 19). The thinking goes that Kelly would then try to package one of the Browns' first-round picks with the Eagles' No. 20 overall selection and entice the Titans to give up their No. 2 pick -- allowing Kelly to land Mariota.

REPORT: NEBRASKA'S GREGORY OFF SEVERAL TEAMS' DRAFT BOARDS (11:03 a.m. ET)

This is seemingly one of those years where character issues cloud the first round.

Talented pass rusher Randy Gregory was once considered a lock for a Top-10 pick. But concerns over his positive drug test at the NFL Scouting Combine in February, and worries over his ability to maintain weight against NFL linemen could reportedly lead to him dropping completely out of the first round, according to NFL.com's Albert Breer.