As the pre-NFL Draft process begins, the sense is the Las Vegas Raiders will get the first chance to select former Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza. But there’s a sense other teams might have interest in trading up, according to NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah.
Jeremiah said the New York Jets could be a team looking to make a move. The franchise added plenty of draft capital this year, and that’s why the chatter around the Senior Bowl was the Jets might be thinking about a big move.
While Jeremiah said it’s become clear the Raiders don’t appear willing to trade the No. 1 pick, he “100%” thinks the Jets would consider a deal. But Las Vegas’ interest interest in Mendoza is clear, which is why he believes the Raiders would stick with the pick.
“I think the Jets would effort, with all the picks that they’ve accumulated, to try and see if they can pry that pick away from the Raiders,” Jeremiah said on The Rich Eisen Show. “The buzz down here amongst all the teams is there’s no chance the Raiders would trade off of that pick.”
“I 100% think they would,” he added when asked to clarify if he thinks the Jets would trade up. “100%. … It’s irrelevant, because they’re not going to pass up an opportunity to get Mendoza. I don’t think the Raiders would do that.”
Daniel Jeremiah: ‘Raiders seem pretty in love with Fernando Mendoza’
Fernando Mendoza has become the clear QB1 in this year’s draft, according to multiple NFL mock drafts – including Jeremiah’s first one this week. The Heisman Trophy winner made some huge plays for Indiana after transferring from Cal and helped lead the Hoosiers to a historic national championship. All told, Mendoza completed 72% of his passes for 3,535 yards and 41 touchdowns.
With the Senior Bowl set for this weekend and the NFL Scouting Combine quickly approaching, the expectation remains Mendoza will be the top pick to the Raiders. Considering Las Vegas’ not-so-subtle interest – ownership was at the national championship game – Daniel Jeremiah reiterated he expects the franchise to stand pat.
But given where the Jets are with the amount of picks they’ve compiled, he said they’d be a team to watch if the Raiders chose to listen to offers. Ultimately, though, he doesn’t see that happening.
“That’s the buzz down here was that, hey, the Jets – I’m not saying they’d trade all their picks that they’ve accumulated, but they’re this close to being able to get a guy that they would try and make an effort to do that,” Jeremiah said. “But it would be a moot point because they’re not going to move off of it, that the Raiders seem to be pretty in love with Fernando Mendoza. Did their homework, obviously. We saw who was in attendance for the national championship game.
“When you’re in a position like this, it looks like a really intriguing group coming up next year, but there’s no guarantee you’re going to be in the right position to get that guy. So right now, you’re sitting on a guy who has all the measurables, has the intangibles. I don’t see the Raiders listening to any of those offers.”
