Ezekiel Elliott: I think the Chicago Bears are in love with me

Plenty of NFL teams would like to land running back Ezekiel Elliott in the 2016 NFL Draft -- he's one of the top prospects available and the most highly regarded player at his position.

As for which of those teams might be head over heels for him, Elliott believes that club could be in the NFC North.

The former Ohio State star was asked Tuesday during an interview on The Dan Patrick Show to name the team that loves him. Elliott's answer: the Chicago Bears.

Elliott was also asked whether the Cowboys and Giants are in love with him and he said he wasn't sure. When Patrick told Elliott that the Dolphins are in love with him, Elliott said "I was thinking that, too."

The Cowboys (No. 4 overall) pick earliest of the teams that were mentioned and likely mark Elliott's draft ceiling. The Giants hold pick No. 10, while the Bears are slated to pick 11th and the Dolphins 13th.

Elliott is linked to each of those teams -- except the Bears -- in the latest NFL Media mock drafts, but he's been connected to the Bears, who parted with longtime top rusher Matt Forte this offseason, during draft season and visited the club earlier this month. The team's running backs coach, Stan Drayton, recruited and coached Elliott at Ohio State during the RB's first two seasons with the Buckeyes.

If the Bears and Dolphins do indeed love Elliott, they might be tempted to trade up to ensure a chance to draft him, although it could become a moot point if Dallas takes him at No. 4 -- Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said on Monday that the team most likely will stay at No. 4 rather than trade the pick.

If a club's love for Elliott is strong enough to facilitate a trade up, it will have to make Jones an offer he can't refuse if it wants to end the intrigue about where Elliott will land before it starts.

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