NFL Mock Draft: Patriots Pass on QB at No. 3?!

Could the New England Patriots go a surprisingly different route if the quarterbacks they like aren't available in April's NFL Draft?

With the regular season ending with a 17-3 loss to the New York Jets at Gillette Stadium, the New England Patriots will have the No. 3 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.

With that lofty selection, New England seems poised and well-positioned to draft its potential franchise quarterback. But will that be the decision it makes in April?

While many believe the Patriots taking a quarterback would be a slam dunk, Bleacher Report took a different route, having them draft Notre Dame offensive tackle Joe Alt in its latest mock draft. 

Joe Alt (76) playing left tackle for Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl in 2023 / USA Today Sports

"The Patriots could do far worse than selecting Alt with the third overall pick," Bleacher Report writes. "After all, the unanimous All-American graded higher than any Power Five offensive tackle this past season, according to Pro Football Focus."

University North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye was taken with the No. 1 overall pick by the Chicago Bears in Bleacher Report's mock draft, and USC quarterback Caleb Williams went with the next pick to the Washington Commanders. 

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Alt was the top-graded offensive tackle in the Power 5 conferences by PFF with a 91.8 grade and dominated in the run and passing game. Alt was tied for No. 1 in run blocking with a 90.8 grade and tied for 2nd in pass-block efficiency with a 99.3 grade. 

If there's a quarterback New England views as the guy and it passes on them, it would be organizational malpractice. But if the quarterbacks the Patriots like aren't available when they pick in the first round, they could do much worse than drafting a potential franchise left tackle who can protect the quarterback and dominate in the run game.

Given Trent Brown's limbo and the Patriots' mess of an offensive line this season, the pick makes sense. But could New England really pass drafting a quarterback after what it saw in Bailey Zappe and Mac Jones in 2023? 

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