QB Sneak: ESPN Tweaks Draft For Patriots

Hours before the quarterbacks take the field for their workouts during the Scouting Combine, some quarterback experts don't agree with who the top quarterback of the 2024 class.

In most mock drafts, the New England Patriots land Heisman Trophy-winner Jayden Daniels with the third overall pick. 

That order may not be the case come April, though. 

Nov 18, 2023; Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA; Heisman Trophy candidate LSU Tigers quarterback Jayden Daniels (5) warms up before their game against the Georgia State Panthers at Tiger Stadium / Credit: Matthew Dobbins-USA TODAY Sports

Speaking on Get Up during the week, ESPN's NFL Analyst Dan Orlovsky stated that he believes Daniels is the top quarterback of the Draft class, and not expected top pick Caleb Williams or North Carolina's Drake Maye. The news, while not universally agreed on, came from a purely film-based approach. 

"Jayden Daniels should be the guy,” Orlovsky stated. “If I were the Chicago Bears right now, I would take Jayden Daniels out of LSU.”

Orlovsky was a color commentator for one of Daniels' best games of the 2023 season, and his opinion was based on that. 

“Candidly, I think when it comes to which guy has the best game, none of these guys compare to Jayden Daniels against Florida,” Orlovsky explained. “Caleb Williams is fantastic, I just think Jayden Daniels is better.”

Should the Bears agree with Orlovsky and take Daniels over Williams with the top overall pick, the entire draft could be turned on its head. Williams and Maye are considered the top overall players in the 2024 class due to their massive arms, great leadership, and advanced timing. 

Should one of those two fall to the Patriots with the third overall pick, New England fans should be static. The upside of the top quarterbacks in this class might be too strong to pass up, and securing arguably the best would be massive for a rebuilding team like the Pats. 

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New England could, of course, continue to alter the 2024 Draft Board by taking a receiver like Marvin Harrison Jr. or trading back for more draft resources, but quarterback classes like these don't come around often. 

That's where Orlovsky's take comes into play. Should Maye or Williams fall, New England's decision with the third overall pick becomes harder to make. 

And who knows, maybe the team walks away with the best quarterback prospect after all.