Even Jayden Daniels doesn't know how reported suitor would trade up to draft him

Although he played for Antonio Pierce in college, Jayden Daniels knows how difficult it will be for the Las Vegas Raiders to trade up to get him. The Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback out of LSU initially spent his first few years in college football playing for Herm Edwards at Arizona State. Pierce was the Sun Devils' defensive coordinator when their paths first crossed in Tempe in the late 2010s.

Both men left Tempe in 2022. Pierce left for Las Vegas amid scandal, as he was an integral part of Edwards' Sun Devils program violating COVID protocols during a recruiting dead period. Daniels transferred to LSU after his true junior season in 2021 to go play for incoming Brian Kelly. In the years to follow, Pierce is the perfect man to lead the Raiders, while Daniels is a lock to go inside the top four.

While appearing on Nightcap with Shannon Sharpe and Chad Johnson, Daniels seemed to understand the challenges the Raiders would have to overcome to trade up from No. 13 to get him.

I don’t know how they’re gonna pull it off. But I mean that’s above my pay grade… A.P. just as a human being, he’s the right coach for that team. You know, just him and the intensity that he brings. He challenges people. He was challenging me at 18."

He then followed with Pierce being an ideal head coach to get the most out of his talent in the NFL.

“So I know if I was to go to the Raiders — I’m not saying I’m gonna go there or I wanna go there, I wanna go wherever my name is called — if I was to go to the Raiders, I know as soon as I step foot, he’s gonna challenge me.”

Here is exactly what Daniels had to say to Sharpe about the Raiders possibly trading up for him.

The Raiders are picking at No. 13 and would likely need to get to No. 2 to be in a position to draft him.

Jayden Daniels has no idea how the Las Vegas Raiders could draft him

All things equal, Daniels will be the No. 2 pick by the Washington Commanders in the 2024 NFL Draft. The Chicago Bears are taking fellow Heisman winner Caleb Williams with the No. 1 pick. If the Commanders were to take someone else, it is hard to see the New England Patriots passing on him at No. 3. If that were to somehow happen, someone will be trading up to No. 4 with the Arizona Cardinals.

Right now, the Raiders' quarterback room prominently features second-year pro Aidan O'Connell and veteran journeyman Gardner Minshew II. Both are fine quarterbacks in their own right, but we all know that Las Vegas is far from set at quarterback ever since moving off the perpetually frustrating Derek Carr. Giving up the farm and assets Mark Davis does not have for Daniels might actually be worth it.

I guess it is the spirit of Al Davis, but it would not be the least bit shocking to see the Raiders move up 11 spots from No. 13 to No. 2 to have the right to draft Daniels out of LSU. We have seen many other teams do far dumber things in NFL Draft history. This includes the Mike Ditka New Orleans Saints giving up every pick for Rickey Williams or Mike Maccagnan taking Christian Hackenberg in day two.

I don't know how much he will win, but Daniels would look fresh in a Raiders' black home uniform.