There are few events that are as full of rumors as the NFL Draft. One of those rumors has been that the Las Vegas Raiders might try to trade up to draft LSU Tigers quarterback Jayden Daniels.
Daniels appeared on Get Up the morning of the NFL Draft. There, he addressed those rumors that he could end up playing for Antonio Pierce and the Raiders, while also explaining what he’s looking for in his preferred NFL team.
“If I had the opportunity, I would love to play with AP,” Jayden Daniels said. “But I can’t control that. I don’t control where I go. Whatever organization drafts me is gonna get the best out of me.”
Antonio Pierce and Jayden Daniels have a long standing relationship that goes back to when Pierce was an assistant coach and Daniels was the quarterback at Arizona State. Since then, the two have gone their own way, to the NFL and LSU respectively. However, there is a familiarity there that makes the match make sense.
Jayden Daniels is coming off a Heisman Trophy season at LSU, where he threw for 3,812 yards and 40 touchdowns to only four interceptions. He also ran for 1,134 yards and 10 touchdowns. The Raiders, meanwhile, return Aidan O’Connell and Gardner Minshew at quarterback.
Antonio Pierce took over as the interim coach for Las Vegas midway through the 2023 season. In the process, he earned the full-time job, going 5-4 to end the season.
The problem is that the Raiders are drafting at 13th and Daniels is expected to be a top-three pick. So, to get Daniels, Las Vegas would need to trade up.
For his own part, Jayden Daniels doesn’t have a specific destination in mind. For him, the ideal team is the one that believes in him as a quarterback.
“Whatever team believes in me,” Daniels said. “At this point, it is what it is. Whatever team believes in me and is gonna see me for the future.”
For now, though, it looks like Jayden Daniels is lined up to be taken by the Washington Commanders with the second overall pick. Several NFL insiders have argued that Daniels being selected there is the most likely outcome. However, Washington could still choose to draft a different quarterback or even trade down in the draft.
The first round of the NFL Draft begins on Thursday, April 25th at 8:00 p.m. EST. Within the draft, there is expected to be an early run on quarterbacks, with several exciting prospects and plenty of teams in need.
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