There are hundreds of players at the NFL Scouting Combine but the group of quarterbacks is going to get the most attention. One of the biggest names in attendance is former LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels.
The Las Vegas Raiders have been heavily linked to the Heisman Trophy winner due to his relationship with head coach Antonio Pierce. He was Daniels’ recruiting coordinator at Arizona State and the two have known each other for a long time.
Though Daniels is willing to play anywhere, he couldn’t hide his excitement about possibly being able to reunite with Pierce in the NFL.
“A.P. is a great guy. He’s the right guy for the job. On draft day, if I hear my phone ring and it’s A.P., I don’t know what I’d do,” Daniels told CBS Sports in a March 1 interview.
Daniels hasn’t been shy about his love for Pierce. He shouted out the coach during his Heisman Trophy acceptance speech and attended the Raiders’ Week 18 game against the Denver Broncos. It’s safe to say that he wouldn’t be upset if he ended up in Las Vegas but the problem facing both sides is that the Raiders don’t pick until No. 13 and Daniels will be long gone before that pick.
“On draft day, if I hear my phone ring and it’s [Antonio Pierce], I don’t know what I would do.”
Jayden Daniels tells @JosinaAnderson he has plenty of love for the @Raiders head coach from their @ASUFootball days 👀
Jayden Daniels Opens up About Relationship With Antonio Pierce
If Jayden Daniels was able to choose his team, there’s a really good chance he would end up with the Raiders. However, that’s not how the draft works. It’s more likely than not that Daniels is playing for the Washington Commanders or New England Patriots next season.
Regardless, Daniels has a lot of love for Antonio Pierce and gave some more details about what the coach means to him.
“My time with A.P. … He is who he is,” Daniels told The Athletic’s Vic Tafur on March 1. “People see it now, but he was the same when I was in high school weighing 150 pounds. He believed in me. He recruited me. He gave me an opportunity. … Our relationship goes beyond football.”
Pierce was clearly right to see something in Daniels as he was the best player in college football last year and is not on track to be a top-five draft pick.
Any Way Las Vegas Raiders Can Get Jayden Daniels?
Whether or not the Raiders could have a chance to get Jayden Daniels may depend on what the Patriots plan to do. The Chicago Bears at No. 1 and the Commanders at No. 2 are almost certainly taking quarterbacks. The Bears are likely taking Caleb Williams but there’s debate between Drake Maye and Daniels for the No. 2 spot.
The Raiders would have to hope that the Commanders like Maye more. The Patriots also need a quarterback badly. However, they’ve got a long rebuild ahead of them and could decide to kick the quarterback issue down the road and the haul of draft picks they’d get for that No. 3 pick would be massive.
That said, it’s hard to put a price on a star quarterback so there’s still a very good chance that they decide to stay put. The only way the Raiders are going to have any shot at Daniels is if they’re willing to trade a ton of assets. It’s possible that ends up happening but there’s definitely no way they’re getting him if they stay put at No. 13.
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Award-Winning QB Reveals Thoughts on Possibly Joining Raiders