Mel Kiper Mock Draft: Patriots Pick Franchise Quarterback

It's officially mock draft season and the New England Patriots are in desperate need of a franchise quarterback. Who did they take in Mel Kiper's latest first-round mock draft?

The New England Patriots have entered a new era, headlined by head coach Jerod Mayo and accelerated by the moves he’ll help make in the coming months. None of those decisions will be more important than finding the next franchise quarterback.

With the shadow of Tom Brady partly covered by the clouds of Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe, the pressure to be the guy may not be as insurmountable as the past two years of Patriots football have made it look. Regardless, the eyes of the New England faithful rest upon the 2024 NFL Draft and its quarterback class. Will they pick one?

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“We’re gonna draft the best player for a position that’s very important,” Mayo said. “You put the pieces together.”

The receiver spot shouldn’t be discounted in today’s passing league, but it feels safe to assume that a quarterback will be the pick. Mel Kiper took a shot at predicting which one.

In ESPN’s latest mock draft, New England selects University of North Carolina passer Drake Maye.

“Maye had some ups and downs in 2023, but he’s an outstanding deep-ball thrower in a 6-foot-4 frame,” Kiper wrote. “He takes care of the football and has some dual-threat ability. There’s a ton to like in his potential.”

Maye is the consensus second-best quarterback in this class, but he’s taken with the third-overall pick in this scenario. Here, he slots in behind USC’s Caleb Williams and LSU’s Jayden Daniels – the 2022 and 2023 Heisman winners, respectively.

With strong mechanics and a prototypical frame, Maye arguably has the highest floor of the bunch, and he certainly isn’t a slouch in the arm-talent department. However, he’s not a flawless prospect, and one could argue the other two passers are better adjusted for a game that is so predicated on athleticism. Williams has game-breaking elasticity and finds immense success out of structure. Daniels finished his Heisman campaign with 1,134 rushing yards.

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New England may not have its pick of the litter at the quarterback position, but any of these options would be respectable, even with receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. left on the board.

The Patriots know what it’s like to have a franchise quarterback, and they’ve learned how the other half lives. With a top pick in hand, a prospect of Maye’s status must wear New England’s jersey on draft night.

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