NFL Mock Draft: Patriots Pick Heisman Trophy QB?
Finally, an adequate replacement for Tom Brady?
The latest mock draft from NFL.com predicts the New England Patriots to use the No. 3 overall draft pick on a quarterback.
In the projected scenario, the first three selections are spent on franchise field generals. After the Chicago Bears draft USC's Caleb Williams at No. 1 overall followed by North Carolina's Drake Maye going second to the Chicago Bears, the Patriots land LSU's Jayden Daniels with the No. 3 pick.
The battle-tested Daniels, who won the 2023 Heisman Trophy, has the potential to deliver a level of quarterbacking competence not seen in New England since Brady left for Tampa Bay. In four years without the legendary TB12, the Patriots have endured three losing seasons and have no playoff victories.
Daniels made 55 career starts at the collegiate level, including 26 after transferring from Arizona State to LSU. In 2023, he led the nation's top-ranked offense to a 10-win season while securing multiple NCAA individual statistical championships. The dual threat paced the nation in total offense (412.2) and led all quarterbacks with 1,134 rush yards.
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Under Daniels's direction, LSU topped the 40-point mark nine times in 12 games. Helping the team exceeded the 500-yard mark in nine different games, the decorated signal caller also broke the single-season program record for total offense set by Joe Burrow (402.6) in 2019.
The Patriots could look to move on from Mac Jones, who was benched in favor of Bailey Zappe this past season. New England will have to declare whether or not it chooses the exercise Jones's fifth-year option this spring. Regardless an attempted upgrade is likely in the cards for the Patriots, who ranked 30th out of 32 teams in yards per pass play (5.51) last year.
In 2023, Jones and Zappe combined for 16 touchdown passes, 21 interceptions and a 73.8 quarterback rating.
Writes NFL.com:
"If there's a lesson I've learned over the years, it's that wherever you have quarterbacks going in your February mock drafts, there's a darned good chance they'll end up going higher than that come April. So let's just skip that step and give the Patriots a style of quarterback they've never really had. I can't wait to see an NFL offense built around Daniels' talents."
