The New England Patriots badly need to fill their QB vacancy ever since Mac Jones was traded to Jacksonville. The franchise hasn’t had much luck with this position ever since Brady departed, and this year they will try to change that with a franchise QB. Well, they are in luck, as the upcoming draft has some of the best shot-callers the college has to offer, and with their third overall pick, the club can get their hands on UNC’s Drake Maye or LSU’s Jayden Daniels.
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However, there seems to be a twist in the tale, as rumors are flying around that the Patriots have fallen in love with Michigan’s Natty winner JJ McCarthy and might be willing to draft him at three, despite the belief that JJ is nowhere near the top five. He did, however, impress many with his Pro Day showcase.
Patriots Insider Tom Curran recently sat down with Tony Pauline, a draft analyst for Sportskeeda, and during their conversation, Tony stated that Eliot Wolf, the unofficial GM and head of scouting for New England, is pushing the club to draft McCarthy, despite a strong belief for the past month that they will land on Maye or Daniels. He claimed that he heard this information from other general managers around the league, but not from Foxborough.
Tony understands the fascination with JJ, even though he doesn’t agree with it. He believes that Michigan players were properly coached and drilled by Harbaugh, and have carried themselves well during the interview process. McCarthy also has a lot of positive attributes, even though he lacks the physical side.
“What I heard from other GMs and not from the Patriots, but the other GMs is that Elliot Wolf, the de facto GM for the Patriots, is in love with JJ McCarthy. And right now, (the) feeling is that Wolf is pushing for McCarthy and that seems like it is going to be the pick,” Tony said. “I could understand the love for JJ, I don’t agree with it but I understand because whether it’s JJ or any of these Michigan kids, they have acquitted themselves well during the interview process.”
If their hearts land on McCarthy, the Patriots’ number 3 pick will be in play; as per many mock drafts and experts, Wolverine’s shot-caller is nowhere near the top five. The Patriots would have to move down the draft, allowing them to benefit from trading their pick to any of the QB-hungry teams. Other teams get a QB-worthy pick and New England gets a lot of draft capital. And it seems new HC Jerod Mayo agrees with the concept of trading their invaluable pick.
As per WCVB, Mayo, during the NFL annual owners’ meeting, stated that the team can go either way. They are prepared to listen to offers for the pick or draft a QB themselves. He asserted that while drafting a QB is necessary, the process of building revolves around accumulating draft capital.
As reported by NBC Sports, there are plenty of teams like the Giants, Broncos, Vikings, and Raiders who might be willing to part with picks to move up to 3rd. As per reports, the interest in Maye is far greater than that in Daniels, and if he somehow, the Commanders don’t draft him or if he is available at 3 instead of 2; the Giants are serious about moving to 3 and might give up their 6th pick, and a few other 2nd round picks spread across 2024 and 2025 drafts.
As the Draft nears, the franchise will host all the top QBs at their facilities, to give them a sense and feel of the place and explain to them the project they are building and how that player will fit in. While rumors point toward JJ, these visits might just decide who they are leaning toward.
Drake Maye vs. Jayden Daniels, Where are the Patriots Leaning?
While winds are blowing in the direction of McCarthy, the Patriots might just stay on the normal course and draft Maye or Daniels. They met with both the QB during the NFL Combine and their respective Pro Days. While Maye even met them privately last week at Foxborough, it’s Daniels’s turn now.
As per Boston. com, the LSU’s Heisman winner will land in Boston this week for his top 30 visit with the franchise. In a day’s meeting, they will roll out the red carpet for Jayden Daniels. Where the Patriots are leaning is unknown and will likely depend on their draft positions. While Maye offers a solid build, great arm strength, and composure in the pocket coupled with mobility, Jayden is a dual-threat QB with a slender build, with the ability to fight off tackles and step out of the pocket and make plays. He has been linked to Lamar Jackson, which is a positive point. The last QB picked from LSU was Joe Burrow, who is currently the highest-paid top-five QB in the league.
Drafting a wrong shot-caller has a far-reaching effect while drafting a right gives you a quarterback to rely on for 15 years. The Patriots are in a post-Belichick rebuilding phase and it will take more than a single season or a draft to completely rebuild and change the structure and culture of the club. As they say, “Rome wasn’t built in a day“. Some critical decisions await them, and fans will hope that they don’t mess it up.
