Todd McShay doesn't believe the Patriots will wait around on Day 1 of the 2021 NFL Draft and hope their next franchise quarterback falls in their lap.
New England enters this month's draft with a need to bolster its quarterback depth chart. The problem for the Patriots is, all five of the top signal-caller prospects this year might be off the board by the time Bill Belichick and Co. are scheduled to make their first pick at No. 15.
With this in mind, McShay in his latest 2021 mock draft has New England moving up four spots in order to select a QB who recently dazzled at his pro day: Ohio State's Justin Fields.
"Even after the Niners' move up the board, it doesn't appear Jimmy Garoppolo is in the cards this season for the Patriots," McShay wrote for ESPN.com. "And while they brought back Cam Newton, the veteran is only signed for a year at $3.5 million guaranteed. The Pats haven't spent a first-round pick on a QB since 1993 (Drew Bledsoe), but now is the time. Fields is accurate downfield and can develop into a top-tier starter for a team searching for stability at the position in the post-Tom Brady era."
Trevor Lawrence is a virtual lock to be the No. 1 overall pick and Zach Wilson seems to be a safe bet to go No. 2 to the New York Jets. The 49ers, meanwhile, reportedly traded up to No. 3 with the idea of drafting Mac Jones in mind, so the Patriots might only have Fields and Trey Lance to choose from the upper echelon of QB prospects in this class.
But Fields certainly would not be some sort of consolation prize. In fact, the Patriots reportedly are "really high" on Fields, a dual-threat who boasts ideal quarterback size. And given the makeup of New England's offensive personnel, the Buckeyes product potentially could be an ideal fit in Foxboro.
That said, Fields is highly touted for a reason, so multiple teams other than the Patriots surely will be keen on potentially drafting him. If New England wants him, it might have to make the organization's most aggressive draft day move in the Belichick era.
