Eagles Draft Buzz Thread: 4/16

Between now and the draft, we’ll have daily threads with the latest mocks, buzz and relevant links. Check back throughout the day for updates.

4:35 p.m.: Jason Cole kicked the Marcus Mariota-to-San Diego trade rumors up a notch with this report:

“As we get closer, sources indicate stronger and stronger with each passing day that the San Diego Chargers will ultimately make a deal with the Tennessee Titans for the number two overall pick,” said Cole. “As part of that trade, the Chargers will send the number 17 overall pick and Philip Rivers just as a start for the number two pick. Rivers would love to play out the rest of his career in Tennessee. In turn, the San Diego Chargers would take quarterback Marcus Mariota of the University of Oregon.”

The Chargers, per Cole, are balking at extending Rivers, who turns 34 in December. The Titans are apparently interested in bringing in a veteran QB, and Ken Whisenhunt is familiar with Rivers from their days in San Diego together.

“All in all, it looks like this is going to be the perfect fit come the day of the draft,” Cole said.

2:13 p.m.: The Eagles are doing further homework on Penn State safety Adrian Amos.

Chip Kelly and company worked him out on Thursday.

Coach Chip Kelly from the Phili Eagles was on campus today working out Adrian Amos ’11 in prep for the NFL draft. pic.twitter.com/qw3FTMd2K8

— Calvert Hall College (@calverthall) April 16, 2015

The Eagles also sent vice president of player personnel Ed Marynowitz to private workout for Adrian Amos at Calvert Hall — Aaron Wilson (@RavensInsider) April 16, 2015

Amos has also visited the NovaCare during the pre-draft process and said the coaches liked his versatility. He is projected to go somewhere between rounds 3-5.

11:10 a.m.: The Eagles are meeting with defensive tackle Joe Okafor today in Houston, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. Okafor (6-5, 308) played for Oklahoma State before transferring to Lamar. More from Wilson:

Okafor is a 6-foot-5, 308-pound defensive lineman who bench pressed 225 pounds 26 times and had a 5.05 40-yard dash, an 8-3 broad jump, a 28.5-inch vertical leap and a 7.3 L-drill.

Okafor is a five-technique prospect for NFL teams with great length. He led the team last season with six sacks.

10:36 a.m.: Mel Kiper played G.M. for all 32 NFL teams, and made the following selections for the Eagles:

Round 1 (20) S Landon Collins, Alabama
Round 2 (52) WR Tyler Lockett, Kansas St.
Round 3 (84) G Ty Sambrailo, Colorado St.

Analysis: You’re going to get mixed reviews on Collins, but there won’t be much debate about whether he’s the top safety in the draft. The concern will be that he’s not as good when he’s in coverage away from the line of scrimmage, but if you’re looking for a safety who can essentially act as an extra linebacker when you need one, Collins is a great get at this point on the board. He’ll be able to line up on tight ends and in the slot, tackles extremely well for the position and is ready to help a defense right now. You just can’t expect him to chase burners around 30 yards downfield, and he has only so-so hands for the position. Still, I’m taking him thinking my defense just got better. Lockett is one of the more underrated WRs in the draft. While he’s not a big target, he’s an outstanding route-runner who always gets open and is fearless when it comes to blocking. I think my head coach will like him. Sambrailo is an athletic offensive lineman who has a chance to be useful in this offense for that reason. I’m not certain he’ll become a good starter, but he’s worth a bet at No. 84.

8:04 a.m.: Jimmy Kempski of The Philly Voice has a seven-round mock draft up. He has the Eagles taking LSU OL La’El Collins in the first round:

With power runners like Murray and Mathews in the backfield, it makes sense to add a more physical presence to the interior of the line. That’s not to say the Eagles have to change what they do. They still have more than their share of players who can get up to the second level or out in front of backs and receivers in the screen game. But they don’t have anyone they can really feel great about running behind in those important drive-extending short yardage situations. Collins can be that for the Eagles, and oh by the way, it’s not as if he can’t hold his own in the athleticism department. Athletically, at a minimum, he’d be an upgrade over the recently departed Todd Herremans.

7:57 a.m.: Kenneth Arthur of Sports On Earth proposes the following three-team trade:

* The Chargers send Rivers to the Titans.
* The Titans send the number two pick to the Philadelphia Eagles, and the number 66 pick to the Chargers.
* The Eagles send Sam Bradford, the 20th overall pick, and a 2016 first round pick to the Chargers, plus pick number 84 to the Titans.

Note that this is not a rumor or a report. He is just spitballing. Essentially, the Eagles would be trading Sam Bradford, the No. 20 pick, the No. 84 pick (third round) and next year’s first for the No.2 pick and Marcus Mariota.

If I’m the Eagles, I would pull the trigger on this deal, but I’m not sure the other two teams involved would.

7:54 a.m.: According to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report, Ken Whisenhunt’s preference is to trade out of the No. 2 spot for a veteran quarterback. His top option is Philip Rivers, but Cole did also mention Jay Cutler and Bradford as possibilities.

7:48 a.m.: Mark Dominik of ESPN thinks it makes sense for the Cleveland Browns to trade up to No. 5 for Marcus Mariota:

This trade makes sense only if the Titans pass on Mariota at No. 2. (To be clear, as I mentioned in the intro, I would take him if I were drafting for the Titans.) But if he does slide, the Browns should take advantage of their extra first-round pick to move up the board, and climbing from 12 and 19 to 5 is slightly more manageable than moving all the way up to 2.

7:46 a.m.: Dane Brugler of CBSSports.com has a two-round mock draft out. He has the Eagles taking Mississippi State inside linebacker Benardrick McKinney with the 52nd overall pick in the second round:

A versatile defender who the Eagles could play inside or outside, McKinney has the size and length that Chip Kelly is looking for on defense.

7:41 a.m.: Washington LB/S Shaq Thompson told Sirius XM Radio that he’ll be meeting with the Eagles on Monday. It’s unclear whether this is a private workout or an official visit to the team’s facility. Thompson (6-0, 228) is a versatile defender, but it’s tough to determine exactly what role he’d have in the Eagles’ defense.