All eyes are on the Patriots as the 2021 NFL Draft approaches.
It's really anyone's guess what New England will do Thursday night. At 15th overall, Bill Belichick and Co. probably won't be able to land one of the top five quarterback prospects in this year's draft class. In turn, the Patriots could target a different position roughly halfway through Round 1 or maybe even trade down.
But the majority of the football world seems to believe New England will make a move up the board. Former NFL wide receiver Nate Burleson, for one, believes the Patriots should trade up for the signal-caller with arguably the highest ceiling in the class.
"There are a few teams that are looking to get their quarterback of the future on Thursday evening," Burleson wrote for NFL.com. "The New England Patriots are one of them. Holding the 15th overall pick, the Patriots must make a significant move to ensure they draft the quarterback of their choosing. If I'm making the call, and if Trey Lance gets past San Francisco at No. 3, I'm doing whatever it takes."
A report Sunday from NFL Media's Ian Rapoport indicated the 49ers are down to Lance or Mac Jones for the third overall pick. For what it's worth, there's been far more buzz surrounding Jones since San Francisco swung the blockbuster trade to move up nine spots in the first round.
The Patriots, however, might actually prefer the quarterback who's now poised to slide a bit on Day 1 of the draft. New England reportedly has been making calls about moving into the top 10 in order to select Justin Fields.
