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One of the worst-kept secrets in the NFL right now is that the Las Vegas Raiders want to draft a quarterback. While there are plenty of good options, former LSU star Jayden Daniels is the most obvious fit due to his ties to head coach Antonio Pierce.
Prior to transferring to LSU, Daniels was at Arizona State and Pierce was his recruiting coordinator. San Francisco 49ers All-Pro wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk was also part of that Arizona State team and he admitted that the Raiders make a lot of sense for Daniels on a recent Instagram Live.
“That’s a good fit though, I ain’t gonna lie,” Aiyuk responded to the idea that the Raiders were the only team for Daniels. ”
There have also been some hints that Aiyuk, who has spoken highly of Pierce, may want to move to Las Vegas. Daniels and Aiyuk on the Raiders would be dynamic. Now, the quarterback played coy as he’s not in a position to be saying which teams he wants to play for but he’s also a big fan of Pierce. It wouldn’t be a surprise if the Raiders were the team he wanted to play for. Unfortunately for Daniels and the Raiders, that’s not how the draft works.
RGIII Believes Jayden Daniels Gets Las Vegas Raiders to Playoffs
Jayden Daniels just won the Heisman Trophy and is expected to be one of the best quarterbacks from the 2024 NFL Draft class. The Raiders have a huge need at quarterback and Aidan O’Connell is likely the only one from last season who is returning.
Las Vegas went 8-9 last season and has an ascending defense but has serious issues on offense last season. ESPN’s Robert Griffin III believes that Daniels is the missing piece for the Raiders if they want to get to the playoffs.
“I think Jayden Daniels should go to the Las Vegas Raiders, and be with the coach who recruited him at Arizona State in Antonio Pierce,” Griffin said on a recent episode of “Get Up.” “Jayden Daniels makes the Raiders a playoff team immediately this year if they go and get him.”
The Raiders have been to the playoffs just twice since 2002 so if they agree with Griffin’s assessment, they have to do what they can to draft him.
Trading up for Jayden Daniels Won’t Be Easy
The Raiders don’t pick until No. 13 and it’s hard to see a scenario where Jayden Daniels isn’t selected in the top-five picks. The move up from No. 13 to No. 3 is massive and will prove costly. However, it’s hard to put a price on a star quarterback, especially for a team that shares a division with Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert.
The one team the Raiders need to watch closely is the New England Patriots. They could be the one team in the top three that is willing to consider a trade. They need a quarterback too but they have so many needs all over the roster that they could trade down to accumulate picks. Even getting to No. 3 wouldn’t be a guarantee that the Raiders are getting Daniels but it at least puts them in a position to get one of the top-three quarterbacks in the draft.
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