The Patriots absolutely should select a quarterback at some point in the 2021 NFL Draft, but it might make the most sense for New England to do so after the first round.
Bill Belichick and Co., in all likelihood, would need to move up from No. 15 in order to land one of the top five signal-caller prospects in this year’s class. Any trade up — even for just a few spots — likely would be pretty expensive, to the point that it might not be worth the roll of a dice.
As such, it should come as no surprise the Patriots reportedly are among the teams that have done “extra legwork” on QBs slated to be selected on Day 2 of the draft. Specifically, New England “spent a long time” meeting virtually with Stanford product Davis Mills, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.
Mills boasts some of the qualities the Patriots typically look for in a quarterback — size, strong arm — but he also enters the draft with multiple concerns. He only started 11 games at Stanford and has an injury history dating back to high school. Furthermore, Mills’ on-field decision-making is fair at best.
The 22-year-old, as long as he stays healthy, could see his potential maximized with the help of the coaching staff in Foxboro. That said, even the third round might be too early to take a shot at Mills.
