2024 NFL Mock Draft: New England Patriots pick their new quarterback

Drake Maye, QB, North Carolina

Once you’ve earned the third choose within the NFL Draft, one thing hasn’t been going in accordance with plan. That prime of a variety can solely be earned solely essentially the most dysfunctional, unfortunate, and/or incompetent organizations.

For these sorry franchises whose failures are tied to poor QB performances, the choice of who to draft with such a coveted spot raises the stakes much more….

… after which there are the Patriots. Imagine it or not, the significance of their choose this yr goes far past that.

As a result of whereas different franchises might need their medium-term future as outlined in wins and losses on the road, for the Patriots, it’s about being faraway from the very consciousness of their fanbase.

Let me clarify.

Over the previous 2 years, I’ve come to come across the recurrence of a uncommon illness in New England that has attacked the brains of so many in any other case wholesome adults and youngsters. It is named Patsamnesoglect (PAG), a situation marked by the mix of amnesia (lack of reminiscence) and sensory neglect (unable to see or hear one thing proper in entrance of you). [1]

A typical sufferer from PAG can simply be recognized; whereas they used to have the ability to identify every Pats gamers’ favourite film whereas gathering across the fireplace to debate Invoice Simmons’ “High 20 Comeback Wins of the Brady Period.” As soon as laid low with PAG, the very identify “New England Patriots” brings up quizzical seems to be whereas the point out of Jerod Mayo might elicit a “ooh, was that one in every of Jayson Tatum’s teammates at Duke?….by the best way, have you learnt that Tatum is just 25 years previous?”

One other key symptom of PAG suffers pertains to shedding the flexibility to acknowledge logos and color-schemes. The as soon as super-human energy of Bostonians to identify others adorned within the Crimson, White, and Blue pats brand from miles away underneath PAG turns into atrophied to the purpose that they’re fully colorblind to these colours, retaining solely the flexibility to discern (Celtic) Inexperienced and infrequently (Bruin) Black/Yellow.

Makes an attempt to deal with this situation by way of regular fan-based interventions like the beginning of a brand new season, promising “enchancment” from younger gamers and even rising win totals have been proven to be fully ineffective. Even makes an attempt to rekindle the reminiscence of previous glories by making total residence video games revolve across the previous and never the current have little to no impact.

Lately researchers have found the foundation reason for PAG: a mix of mediocre fan curiosity previous to 2001 that, after 20 years of unholy unprecedented success turned an entirely unrealistic set of fan expectations so lofty solely a gentle food plan of deep playoff runs (if not tremendous bowl appearances) will make their fanbase discover them. As such, the Patriots needn’t solely to win with this draft choose, however win at a Patrick Mahomes-kind of degree to keep away from them fading out of reminiscence like Marty McFly nearly did in Again to the Future, or (even worse) being confused with the New England Revolution.

What’s that, you say?

Oh proper, the choose.

I do know that is about who I might choose but when I’m imagining myself of their GM’s footwear I’d focus most on not shedding my job, that means that my incentives might very effectively dictate I do one thing that’s totally different from what is perhaps in the perfect long-term curiosity of the franchise.

Since Caleb Williams is off the board and Marvin Harrison Jr., in a shock transfer, went second to Washington [2], the query is whether or not I get my QB of the long run, a non-QB, or commerce down.

The brief reply is that I’d choose Drake Maye.

An extended rationalization, written earlier than I knew who the Commanders picked, and based mostly on what I can glean from the few lifer Pats followers I do know who’re nonetheless paying consideration, is predicated upon New two primary questions New England has to reply.

A) Have they got the cojones to not draft a QB at #3 (commerce down, draft MH jr., no matter) in the event that they aren’t clearly in love with one in every of their QB choices?

The very first thing I might be aware is that when it got here to QBs, for a few years there was a damaging “Brady impact” when it got here to discovering backups/replacements for what most neutrals would take into account the G.O.A.T. There was a big contingent of parents who thought that on account of Belichick’s teaching and the “Patriot Method” [3] it was pointless to spend excessive draft picks on QBs due to the prevalence of their general system. After the previous couple of debacles seasons, I feel it’s secure to say that that ship has sailed. Whereas Mac Jones was a primary spherical QB, he was not extremely ranked like these different QBs taken with a top-5 choose which is what we’re speaking about here- an opportunity to draft a High QB felt to be worthy of a prime choose.

With this as backdrop, there look like quite a lot of indicators that QB is a (the?) actual choice for them this yr. Robert Kraft has been reportedly keen on Drake Maye and in interviews particularly famous the staff would have sufficient expertise teaching in place for a rookie QB to achieve success in the event that they drafted one at #3. So whereas Eliot Wolf is considerably of a clean slate (Belichick up till now had ultimate say on draft day earlier than Wolf turned their de facto GM this yr), given RK’s feedback together with the sense amongst draft specialists that 2025 isn’t seeking to be an incredible QB class, I may solely see that situation taking place if each Maye AND Daniels (and McCarthy, Penix, and many others.) are scored a lot decrease than just about all of the draft analysts do.

Since I doubt the Pats are that low on all of the QB choices, and because of the rookie standing of Wolf as the ultimate decider on draft day, I don’t see the FO up right here making an attempt to get cute and commerce again whereas additionally drafting a QB. I doubt even Howie Roseman would try that type of a cube roll to get extra capital whereas risking shedding out on his QB alternative. [4]

B) Which QB would they choose?

Given the rising certainty in NFL draft circles that the Bears are taking Williams at #1, the query then is who amongst Maye, Daniels, or another QB at #3 could be their most popular choice. Whereas it’s doable that there was extra smoke about Maye to the Pats as a result of persons are assuming Daniels goes #2, I additionally assume that there are different explanation why, when given the chance to decide on, would nonetheless go along with Maye.

Whereas new OC Alex Van Pelt has labored with extremely cell QB’s like DeShaun Watson in Cleveland, most of his work has been with gamers like Aaron Rodgers, pocket passers who’re athletic sufficient to maneuver round and even run when want be, however in any other case work throughout the offensive scheme.

Additionally, Maye has been extra constant over his time at UNC whereas Daniels’ inventory rose astronomically over the course of 1 cfb season with an insane LSU receiving corps. Whereas that precise mixture was what Joe Burrow had earlier than he entered the league, in typically consistency is a plus.

Lastly, the vibe I concerning the Pats being a “pocket passer” staff are much like that of the Eagles being generally known as an “within the trenches” squad. Whereas it’s true that perceived identification principally comes from a single QB (though for those who rely Bledsoe that historical past goes again nearly 30 years), I nonetheless get the sense that it’s nonetheless a factor.

In the long run, whereas in a vacuum I’d choose Daniels for his upside and tool-set, I feel the Pats would lean in direction of drafting (yet one more) “Tom Brady 2.0” whose recreation is most harking back to Brady’s, particularly if the proprietor is placing his personal finger on the dimensions.

Will it’s sufficient to make New Englanders within the Pats once more? That is still to be seen.

ANNOTATIONS

[1] This may be distinguished from OCE, a situation endemic to the Delaware Valley, of which the hallmarks are persistent obsessions concerning the Eagles and seasonal compulsions to yell at TV screens.

[2] Which can have Commanders followers pondering the philosophical query that if a receiver is open within the center ofa discipline however nobody who can throw him the ball, is he actually open?

[3] My eyes are rolling as I sort this.

[4] We Eagles followers all bear in mind the Marcus Smith draft fiasco in 2014.

Ballot

Do you approve of this choose?

2024 BGN Mock Draft Order

1) Bears (Draftjunky): Caleb Williams, QB, USC2) Commanders (surefooted): Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Ohio State3) Patriots (niels.rosenquist): Drake Maye, QB, North Carolina4) Cardinals (eaglenomics)5) Chargers (SeanEFootball)6) Giants (89Tremaine)7) Titans (Philly21)8) Falcons (BrianLee0480)9) Bears (EaglesDiver)10) Jets (GreenGrampa)11) Vikings (The Participant Previously Generally known as Mousecop)12) Broncos (PBARB1978)13) Raiders (iam4theBirdz)14) Saints (Fly Like An Eagle)15) Colts (J. Wil)16) Seahawks (Phreezy E)17) Jaguars (dredscottroberts)18) Bengals (grantspectations)19) Rams (Nolo0oo)20) Steelers (Dr.MidnightGreen)21) Dolphins (Neil Dutton)22) Eagles (ablesser88)23) Vikings (RabidPanda13)24) Cowboys (Elliptical Man)25) Packers (LeFire)26) Buccaneers (FlJoe)27) Cardinals (green1us)28) Payments (Leo Bedio)29) Lions (MrOilman)30) Ravens (LancGuy)31) 49ers (SakPrescott)32) Chiefs (Hoosinole)

Now it’s time so that you can vote for who YOU assume needs to be chosen within the 2024 BGN Neighborhood Consensus Mock Draft.