It sure sounds like Tom Brady has his preference for next Raiders QB

Tom Brady will be anxious to make his mark on the Las Vegas Raiders the moment the offseason begins. He and everyone else in Las Vegas understands the team needs to find a new quarterback to build around. To the surprise of no one, the all-time great has a preference about which signal-caller his new team targets in the draft.

Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports believes that Sheduer Sanders would be Brady's "top candidate" if he's permitted to weigh in on the team's draft strategy. It's unclear exactly how much influence the former Patriots star will have as the franchise's new minority owner but it would be a major surprise if his opinion did not carry some sway with the team's decision-makers.

"From what I’ve been told about Brady’s opinion of Sanders — which he has shared with a handful of NFL coaches and executives over the past 18 months — there is a great amount of respect for Sanders’ focus on preparation, his ability to learn and adapt, his accuracy and determination in the pocket, and his toughness to take hits and still be resilient," writes Robinson. "I’ve been told that Brady has also been impressed that Sanders has avoided the pitfalls of being thrust onto the center stage of college football’s limelight after transferring to Colorado to play for his father, Deion. For the most part, Shedeur has never become a distraction, developed selfish tendencies or created issues with his public profile or fame that overshadowed his team or his game. He also stayed in school for four years and developed, which is something Brady has repeatedly and publicly said he values in a young quarterback."

Tom Brady reportedly prefers Shedeur Sanders in NFL Draft

Sanders' draft status has come under scrutiny in the last week which opens up the possibility that he could slip to the Raiders in Round 1. The team is currently projected to have the No. 8 overall pick heading into the last week of the regular season. Sanders may be off the board before the Raiders go on the block but a trade up for a quarterback could also be in play.

Brady's preference for Sanders over Cam Ward is easy to understand given the style of both quarterbacks. Sanders lacks elite physical tools but stands out in this year's class due to his outstanding accuracy and ball placement.

That's the same way Brady picked opponents part during his NFL career. It's easy to see why he would gravitate towards a college prospect who plays the game in the same style that he did. Brady can surely appreciate Ward's speed and ability to make plays outside the pocket, but he's much more familiar with the way Sanders can pick defenses apart from inside the pocket.

It's in the Raiders' best interest to keep their quarterback preference quiet until the moment they have a chance to make their first round pick. Brady's opinion is already out in the open.