Marcus Mariota: 'I'd love to play for the Jets': Report

Marcus Mariota was on hand for the annual Maxwell Football Club awards ceremony in Atlantic City Friday, where he was given the Maxwell Award as college football's player of the year.

And with the NFL draft about six weeks down the road, the Oregon quarterback gave one team about two hours up the Jersey Turnpike some food for thought

"I'd love to play for the Jets," said Mariota, according to the Asbury Park Press.

 "Meeting with the offensive coordinator [Chan Gailey] and the quarterbacks coach [Kevin Patullo] was awesome,'' he said. "It was an opportunity for me to introduce myself, and it seems like a great organization."

The Heisman Trophy winner has been linked to the Jets, the quarterback-confused team that holds the No. 6 pick in the draft.

But there's also been some speculation that another team one hour west on the Atlantic City Turnpike is giving the quarterback some serious consideration.

Philadelphia Eagles coach Chip Kelly — once Mariota's college head coach — is reportedly willing to move up from the 20th spot to select the former Duck.

"I wouldn't doubt it," Mariota said of Kelly potentially pulling off a blockbuster trade to get him. "But coach Kelly and the Eagles are going to do what's best for that team, and we'll see what happens."

Mariota said he had an informal breakfast meeting with the Eagles' quarterbacks coach on Thursday. He also said "everybody" jokes with him about the Eagles moving up to get him.

"I'm not sure what coach Kelly wants to do, and I haven't talked to him about it," Mariota said. "He's been more of a mentor for me when I needed someone, or if I needed to talk to him about anything, he's been there for me."

Could Marcus Mariota's thanks to Eagles Chip Kelly lead to a reunion in Philly? (VIDE)

Marcus Mariota became the first Oregon player to earn the Heisman Trophy and the first Hawaii native to take home the coveted prize. After receiving the 25-pound trophy, Mariota gave an emotional speech, thanking his family, his teammates and home state.

During the tearful speech Saturday night, the soft-spoken quarterback — who beat out Alabama wide receiver Amari Cooper and Wisconsin running back Melvin Gordon — also thanked his coaches including Philadelphia Eagles head coach Chip Kelly.

"Coach (Mark) Helfrich, coach (Scott) Frost, and coach (Chip) Kelly," Mariota said,"thank you for the opportunity. You took a chance on me, and I am truly grateful."

That shout-out — or whisper-out, if you please — has already started speculation that the Eagles might try to move up to get him in the 2015 NFL Draft.

The link between Kelly and Mariota, who were together for one full season during their days at Oregon, has Eagles fans dreaming of the perfect replacement of Nick Foles and Mark Sanchez in running Kelly's offensive attack. 

And, earlier this week,  Kelly took time out from preparing for Sunday night's showdown with the Cowboys to heap plenty of praise on his former player and stoke the fire.

"He has a gift for playing football," Kelly said of Mariota. "He is everything you could want. He can throw the ball, he can run. He is the most talented kid I coached in college."

Could next year's most prized player in the NFL Draft go from being a Duck to an Eagle? It's a long shot — but one worth thinking about.

Here's Mariota's acceptance speech:

Marcus Mariota's first INT toss in over a year is two-man beauty (VIDEO)

Marcus Mariota’s streak of 343 unintercepted passes ended pretty quickly Saturday. On the first play from scrimmage against Arizona, the Oregon Ducks quarterback threw his first interception in over a year resulting in a highlight clip for the ages.

Wildcats linebacker Scooby Wright comes down with the pick with some ridiculous help from his teammate Shaquille Richardson to end Mariota's remarkable run.

Wright picked off Mariota after the ball had been deflected first by Oregon receiver Bralon Addison, then saved from hitting the turf by a diving Richardson.

That teamwork might have set the tone for the game as the Wildcats went on to rout No.5 Oregon 42-16.