Report: Jayden Daniels has ‘real’ interest in playing for 1 AFC team

Nov 11, 2023; Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA; LSU Tigers quarterback Jayden Daniels during pregame against the Florida Gators at Tiger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

Jayden Daniels is expected to be taken no later than No. 4 in the upcoming NFL Draft, and the star quarterback’s dream scenario might involve a team moving way up the board to get him.

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler said on Saturday’s edition of “SportsCenter” that Daniels has legitimate interest in playing for the Las Vegas Raiders. Daniels began his collegiate career at Arizona State and was there when Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce was an assistant with the Sun Devils.

The odds of Daniels ending up in Las Vegas are slim, however. The Raiders have the 13th pick, and it would cost a fortune for them to move up 10 or so spots.

“He has had interest in playing for the Raiders, that is real — staying on the west coast, reuniting with Antonio Pierce from the Arizona State days,” Fowler said. “But they pick 13th. It’s going to be hard to make that sort of trade happen.

“(There is) intrigue in Minnesota as well. That’s not to say he doesn’t have interest in playing for Washington eventually. I cannot confirm that that’s any different. But, as was told to me, this has not gone as smoothly as it should for a player who’s a viable candidate for the No. 2 overall pick.”

From @SportsCenter

*Making sense of Jayden Daniels smoke around No. 2
*Patriots’ outlook at 3
*Penix stock
*Dak prepared for anything, contract talks slow pic.twitter.com/dRJ6iRcf2Z

— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) April 20, 2024

The Washington Commanders have the No. 2 overall pick in the draft. They supposedly want Daniels, but some recent reports have claimed Daniels would rather play elsewhere.

The Raiders currently have Aidan O’Connell at the top of their quarterback depth chart. They also signed veteran Gardner Minshew this offseason. It seems unlikely that they would be willing to surrender the assets needed to trade up for Daniels, even if one of their star players hinted this offseason that he might be hoping for that outcome.