2024 NFL Draft: Who Will The Patriots Take At 3?
The New England Patriots currently have the best draft position since the team took Drew Bledsoe in 1993. They also have arguably the worst quarterback situation in the NFL.
I have gone back and forth, but in the end, I have decided that the Patriots MUST take a quarterback with the #3 overall pick in this year’s NFL draft.
There are a number of reasons why the Patriots should NOT trade down. Some of which include:
They have built an offensive system around adaptability.
The hiring of Alex Van Pelt will allow the team to create an adaptive scheme for whichever rookie QB ends up in New England (in theory).
This is considered a very good class of quarterbacks. This means it might be significantly harder to find a franchise QB in next year’s draft, even if you have a great pick (which they would).
The Patriots are GAURANTEED to have a chance at drafting two or three quarterbacks with significant upside.
Drake Maye, Jayden Daniels, and (to a lesser degree) JJ McCarthy, and Michael Penix Jr.
If the Patriots make a move to acquire AJ Brown or Brandon Aiyuk, the offense will help a rookie QB Develop.
Both Brown and Aiyuk have been rumored to be involved in trade talks, with New England considered to be a favorites to make a splash.
It is also worth noting that Robert Kraft has vocally endorsed the team’s pursuit of the next “face of the franchise”. This all leads me to believe that the Patriots WILL take whichever quarterback falls to the third pick.
HOWEVER, there is an important wildcard that is worth considering. There is only one circumstance that I could see the Patriots trading down. That being, if the team identifies a ‘second tier’ quarterback as being better than either Drake Maye or Jayden Daniels, they could look to move back.
While Bo Nix had a solid college career, I really hope the Patriots avoid taking him. Michael Penix would be an exciting addition, but without an elite weapon at receiver, I am not interested. The situation gets interesting when considering the idea of targeting JJ McCarthy.
JJ McCarthy has climbed mock drafts to the point where some analysts have him going as high as the second pick. After watching every passing attempt of his 2023-24 season, I can confidently say that I would be mildly disappointed if the Patriots take McCarthy with the third pick. Personally, I would prefer to see Maye or Daniels in Foxboro this fall, but I am not opposed to drafting a kid with underrated athleticism. McCarthy is NOT Mac Jones.
