NFL Mock Draft: New QB For New Patriots Era?

NFL Network's latest mock draft has the New England Patriots kicking off the Jerod Mayo era with a new franchise quarterback.

Will the Jerod Mayo era in New England kick off with a new franchise quarterback in Foxboro? 

If NFL Network's top draft reporter Daniel Jeremiah's first mock draft has anything to say, that will certainly be the case. 

Jeremiah's first mock draft has the Patriots selecting LSU quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels as the third overall selection in the 2024 NFL Draft. 

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"While Marvin Harrison Jr. would be tempting here, the Patriots need to address the quarterback position first and foremost," Jeremiah said in his mock draft. "Daniels is coming off a monster year as a dual-threat weapon."

Daniels, 23, completed over 70 percent of his passes in his final season in college while throwing for 3,812 yards, 40 touchdown passes, and an additional 1,000+ yards rushing, and 10 scores on the ground. As the top dual-threat quarterback in the draft, and going to a team that desperately needs offensive firepower, the Patriots would be fortunate to get a play-maker like Daniels. 

New England's offense was among the worst in football during the 2023 season. The Patriots finished third worst in the league in yards and second worst in points scored during Bill Belichick's final year in Foxboro. 

Instability at the quarterback position, poor offensive line play, and a barren receiving core all played a part in the end of the Belichick era and brought forth a new one in Massachusetts. 

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With so many positions of need, securing the quarterback position might seem controversial, but the Patriots understand that most rebuilds start once a young phenom signal-caller has been found. 

To a draft analyst like Jeremiah, that's precisely the reason why Daniels will be the pick for the Patriots.