“Jaws would hit the floor”: Josh Pate hints Lane Kiffin and other CFB giants are quietly eyeing the NFL

CFB analyst Josh Pate believes that Lane Kiffin and other coaches at the collegiate level are looking for a job in the NFL.

On Wednesday's episode of "The Colin Cowherd Show", he was questioned if the Ole Miss coach would be interested in leaving Oxford for a chance to coach in the NFL.

"Yeah, I think he is (considering the NFL)," Pate said as per On3. "I think several of them are. I think there's some names considering the NFL that would totally and completely put jaws on the ground if the names ever got public. I think these guys are always conisdering the NFL. "Now, you'd never get the truth out of most of them, but yeah. I mean, look. You know the kind of mentality it takes to succeed at the highest level of college football, especially if you specialize on a side of the ball. It goes hand in hand with the kind of mentality that thinks I could win in the NFL, I would win on Sundays. I want to test myself against the best. I want to see how my offense does." (Timestamp-29-35)

After the New York Giants fired Brian Daboll following a 2-8 start to the season, the rumor mill has been churning about Lane Kiffin being a potential replacement. Last month, Joel Klatt named him as one of his top five coaches to take over the Giants and lead them to success on the field.

This season, Kiffin has helped the Ole Miss Rebels to a 9-1 record after their recent victory over the Citadel Bulldogs. They are on track to compete for the 12-team playoffs.

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Joel Klatt believes Lane Kiffin might have "blank check" offers from LSU and Ole Miss

On his show, the analyst highlighted how the Ole Miss coach is on track to receive a big pay after the end of the season. He believes that the Rebels will give it their best effort to retain him in Oxford.

He also said that the LSU Tigers might try to poach Lane Kiffin from Ole Miss. The Tigers fired Brian Kelly last month after four seasons and a 34-14 record.

"I think the biggest threat to Ole Miss down the stretch is distraction," Klatt said. "And that distraction is in the form of their future head coach. I don't know where Lane Kiffin will end up. I know that Ole Miss is basically telling him, 'Hey, it's a blank check. You tell us what you need to stay here, and we will do it.' "I also have, on pretty good authority, that LSU is prepared to do the same thing for Lane Kiffin."

Kiffin and his team are next scheduled to face the Florida Gators on Saturday at 7 p.m. ET.

Edited by Priyam Hazarika