Marcus Mariota's relationship with draft coach raises questions
Kevin O'Connell will reportedly become the Cleveland Browns' quarterbacks coach in the near future, but he has one significant order of business to complete before he does: preparing Marcus Mariota for the draft.
O'Connell spent last offseason prepping Johnny Manziel for the draft and did a good enough job to not only convince the Browns to spend a first-round pick on Manziel, but also to hire O'Connell earlier this year.
According to Mary Kay Cabot of the Plain Dealer, O'Connell has been working with Mariota since Jan. 24, and is expected to continue to do so throughout the draft process.
NFL teams are permitted to have only limited contact with draft prospects, but O'Connell's relationship with Mariota isn't subject to those restrictions because O'Connell isn't technically a member of the Browns' coaching staff - yet.
It should come as no surprise that O'Connell's relationship with Mariota has sparked rumors linking the Browns to the Oregon product. Though the team used a premium pick on Manziel a year ago, early returns - both on and off the field - are extremely disappointing and quarterback remains the Browns' biggest need.
The Browns own two first-round picks and presumably have the ammunition to trade up to select Mariota should they desire to.