NFL Mock Draft: Patriots Select Quarterback 'Strike-Thrower!'
Most draft experts are in agreement that the New England Patriots will take their quarterback of the future in April, the debate comes down to which one.
Many believe that New England will take LSU's Jayden Daniels, the dynamic dual-threat quarterback who scored 50 total touchdowns to win the Heisman Trophy this season. Others believe that the Patriots will get North Carolina's Drake Maye, the spitting image of an NFL quarterback. Then there's the small set of people who believe that they'll get USC's Caleb Williams (be it through a trade up or him falling to them), who many see as a generational talent comparable to Kansas City Chiefs star Patrick Mahomes.
The debate between the three camps will surely rage on between now and the 2024 NFL Draft in April, as countless mocks will be released in that time. For ESPN's Field Yates, though, Maye is the easy choice in his first mock draft.
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"The 6-foot-4, 230-pound quarterback is still 21 years old and has the prototypical build for an NFL passer," Yates wrote. "Maye is a strike-thrower when targeting the middle of the field, but he also shows nifty pocket agility to extend plays and has 16 rushing touchdowns over the past two seasons. As the Patriots embark on a new era under Jerod Mayo, they could build the new offense around Maye. New England finished last season 30th in yards per attempt (6.1) and 31st in Total QBR (31.6)."
While Maye didn't put up as gaudy stats as his fellow top quarterback prospects, but he's this high up on draft boards for a reason.
Over his two seasons as a starter, Maye completed 64.9 percent of his passes for 7,929 yards and 62 touchdowns with 16 interceptions. He's also more mobile than many would expect, rushing for 1,047 yards and 16 touchdowns in that same time span.
As Yates points out, Maye also has the build that NFL general managers dream about for a quarterback.
It's a time for new beginnings in New England, and to fully embrace that mindset, a new quarterback like Maye is essential.
