For the ever self-effacing, aw-shucks Marcus Mariota, who has gone to great lengths to eschew drama and limelight, Thursday’s opening of the NFL Draft is one huge spotlight he can’t stiff-arm.

Much as he might prefer to let all the talk be about the polarizing Jameis Winston or the focus to find one of his own former Oregon teammates, it squarely surrounds Mariota in a way it has found few others.

Never mind that Mariota will be here in Hawaii, 4,250 miles distant from the scene of the draft, the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University in Chicago, and Commissioner Roger Goodell ritually announcing the picks. He will be the man of the moment. Among the 256 players to be selected over the three-day, seven-round event, Mariota is No. 1 in conversation — even if he isn’t taken in that slot.

And that’s part of the buzz, speculation about where he might be taken — and by whom. It has been bubbling since his sophomore year and been fodder for commentators and analysts since long before he threw his last pass as a collegian in the national championship loss to Ohio State three months ago.

Will Cleveland at No. 12, San Diego (No. 17) or even Philadelphia (20) dig deep and pull off a blockbuster trade to move up and grab Mariota? Teams are holding their cards close, and all the machinations about trades have only stoked the drama.

So much so that Mariota confessed this week, "I don’t watch ESPN, I don’t watch any of that stuff just because I know the talk is gonna be there."

While his father, Toa, has perused the mock drafts, Marcus said, "Whatever team decides to pick me, I’ll just be excited to get back into working out with the guys, meeting all my teammates and becoming part of an organization. I’m looking forward to that aspect of it and moving forward."

Mariota chose the Saint Louis Alumni Clubhouse on Isenberg Street to celebrate his expected ascension to the NFL as Hawaii’s highest pick in the 80-year history of the pro draft. Another Crusaders alum, Herman Wedemeyer (Saint Mary’s 1947), and Leilehua’s Al Harris (Arizona State 1979) both went No. 9.

Mariota said declining the invitation to walk the red carpet in Chicago "is an opportunity for me to give back to the culture of Hawaii and also kind of share this moment with the people that got me here, that have sacrificed and put so much hard work into this."

A seven-hour, invitation-only draft day celebration is planned in Mariota’s honor, complete with a tent to handle the "overflow." TV trucks have been warned to arrive before 11 a.m. — three hours before the draft telecast commences — or risk not getting a parking space.

Mariota’s people say he visited or took part in post-combine workouts for six teams — the Chicago Bears, New York Jets, St. Louis Rams, San Diego Chargers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Tennessee Titans — and has been coveted by several others, including the Philadelphia Eagles and Cleveland Browns.

Cleveland, which has the 12th and 19th picks, is in need of a quarterback. Additionally, their new quarterbacks coach, Kevin O’Connell, oversaw Mariota’s pre-combine training as part of Prolific Athletes in the San Diego area.

Philadelphia, which has the 20th pick, has Chip Kelly, Mariota’s former coach at Oregon, also making personnel decisions. Speculation has been rampant that Kelly is willing to put together a package of draft picks and current players, likely including quarterback Sam Bradford, to work a trade and move up.

Mariota denies any inside knowledge of what the wily Kelly might be planning. "I’m sure he has a purpose and a plan for draft day," Mariota said. "For me, I’m just really going to wait patiently to see what happens."

He said, "There is no preference at all. I’m just blessed to have the opportunity. I’m looking forward to a dream come true."

But whoever selects Mariota will instantly make him one of Hawaii’s richest athletes, with a four-year deal to be worth $20 million-$25 million.

While speculation has been that Winston, the 2013 Heisman Trophy winner, will likely go to Tampa Bay with the first pick, ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. cautions that is not set in stone.

"You have a lot of teams looking to maybe acquire Mariota and you think about that: If everybody wants Mariota, why wouldn’t Tampa Bay consider him?" Kiper said. "Tampa Bay is obviously going to consider him."

Mariota claims being No. 1 "isn’t important at all." Of more importance, he said, "is going to the right team. No matter where you go, you have to make the most of it. "

"Monday Night Football" analyst Jon Gruden says, "He could care less about his individual achievements, he could care less about where he goes in this draft. He is just eager to learn, to prove to people that he can play."

Gruden, who coached the Buccaneers to a 2003 Super Bowl win, said, "Of any of these teams that are picking, I’d be surprised if they did not pick Marcus Mariota. I think he is a rare prospect. I think he has some can’t-miss qualities, if you can bring him along and have just a little bit of patience to give him the correct direction. I think this Mariota kid could be one of the really great quarterbacks of the future in the NFL."

Two months ago at the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis, Mariota stood at the podium and told reporters, "As a competitor, any person will tell you that they are the best. And I truly believe that of myself — and we’ll see whatever decision is made."

Meanwhile, the spotlight shines brightly and a football-watching nation awaits.