Patriots 3-Round Mock Draft: Franchise QB, Offensive Weapons?

The New England Patriots could build the foundation for their rebuild in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Jeremy Brener | Dec 23, 2023

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New England Patriots

The New England Patriots face a transformative draft this upcoming year, the first true rookie class in their attempt at a full rebuild.

With the Pats zeroing in on a top five pick, the expectation is that they will take a quarterback, and SI projects they will do so with North Carolina's Drake Maye.

"No team in this draft needs something more than the Pats need a franchise quarterback," writes Sports Illustrated in its new three-round mock draft. "Regardless of whether or not Bill Belichick returns next season, New England has to swing big under center, and they're in position to do just that with this pick."

drake maye bill belichick — FanStreamSports.com

Maye is going to need some protection alongside him if he comes to New England, and that comes in the form of Arizona tackle Jordan Morgan in the second round.

"Morgan has absolutely got the goods," Athlon Sports says of Morgan. "He’s got a prototypical build, would appear to have some positional flexibility, and offers a strong mix of power and mobility."

After the Patriots get Maye some protection, they need to get him someone to throw to. They do that by selecting Georgia receiver Ladd McConkey at the top of the third round.

"McConkey isn’t the biggest, he isn’t the fastest, and he isn’t the strongest," Athlon Sports writes. "But he showcases a good knack for hard-earned yards after contact with the ball in his hands, he runs some effective routes that should translate to the NFL, and he’s served as a special teams contributor."

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It may seem like a reach for McConkey, but the Patriots have tended to gravitate towards players that can contribute both on offense and special teams.

Ultimately, these three players could represent the start of a new era in New England. The quarterback, whether it be Maye or someone else, needs to set the tone for what's to come with the Patriots ... and the players that follow need to best fit the vision the quarterback is trying to set.

Published Dec 23, 2023

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.