It’s official: Sam Darnold — not Jarrett Stidham — is Tom Brady’s successor.
No, not in real life. But in an alternate universe created when ESPN conducted an NFL re-draft comprised of 128 players across the league’s 32 franchises.
ESPN on Monday published the results of its exercise, in which NFL reporters were tasked with playing general manager and re-drafting the foundations of the teams they cover. The re-draft consisted of four rounds, with each make-believe GM asked to select a quarterback, a non-QB offensive player, a defensive player and a wild-card player (open to anything) to supplement a roster otherwise comprised of average-level NFL talent.
Contracts don’t matter — no salary cap was imposed — and the order of the 2020 NFL Draft (minus trades) was used, with a snake format. Each GM’s goal was to build a team capable of winning a Super Bowl within five years.
Patrick Mahomes unsurprisingly was selected No. 1 overall by Cincinnati, spearheaded in this instance by Bengals reporter Ben Baby. The rest of the top five consisted of Russell Wilson (Washington Redskins), Lamar Jackson (Detroit Lions), Deshaun Watson (New York Giants) and Aaron Donald (Miami Dolphins).
Patriots beat writer Mike Reiss played the role of Bill Belichick and selected Darnold at No. 23 overall, one pick after the Buffalo Bills landed Michael Thomas and one pick before the New Orleans Saints secured Khalil Mack.
Here’s New England’s full (re-)draft class, as chosen by Reiss:
Round 1 (23): Sam Darnold, QB
Round 2 (42): T.J. Watt, OLB
Round 3 (87): Amari Cooper, WR
Round 4 (106): Frank Clark, DE
More NFL: Patriots Player Details Julian Edelman’s Mindset About 2020 Season
“A trusted personnel evaluator relayed that any good team would primarily focus on four areas — QB, pass-rusher, CB and left tackle,” Reiss wrote in explaining his selections. “But picking at No. 23, there was concern with the quality of QB that would be there. So it was a pleasant surprise to see Darnold still available (he got the nod over Matthew Stafford due to age). Two top pass-rushers in Watt and Clark create the foundation for a defense that will attack with the pass rush, while Cooper in the third round was simply a case of not letting an unexpected opportunity with a high-end player pass.”
Darnold, who in real life was drafted third overall by the New York Jets in 2018, has shown promise in his first two NFL seasons, so Reiss is rolling the dice that trend will continue as the Patriots navigate their post-Brady era in ESPN’s parallel universe.
Speaking of Brady, he’s not going anywhere. Buccaneers reporter Jenna Laine ensured the six-time Super Bowl champion stayed with his new real-life organization by drafting Brady to Tampa Bay with the No. 14 pick, just after reigning real-life No. 1 overall pick Joe Burrow landed with the Indianapolis Colts at No. 13.
Brady is joined in Laine’s faux Bucs core by Alvin Kamara (51), Chris Jones (78) and Kenny Golladay (115).
Stidham landed with Carolina — drafted by Panthers reporter David Newton in the third round (71st overall) — and is joined by Joey Bosa (7), DeForest Buckner (58) and Jedrick Wills Jr. (122).
