Patriots’ Hopes For QB Still Could Be Alive Due To Rising Prospect

The Patriots could select their quarterback of the future in the 2024 NFL Draft, and they might still do it without a top-two pick.

New England likely will move on from Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe — despite the latter’s solid play in the final weeks of the season — and look to a different signal-caller to be the next face of the franchise.

The Patriots at worst could get the ninth pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. They have the fourth overall pick heading into Week 17, which gives them an outside chance of drafting Caleb Williams or Drake Maye.

However, Jayden Daniels rose up draft boards for analysts since he won the Heisman Trophy, and he might be in the conversation as a top-five selection. The Athletic’s Nate Tice on Thursday had the LSU Tigers quarterback going fourth to the Patriots following a surprising choice of having Maye go first to the Chicago Bears.

“Bill Belichick’s chase for wins may have yanked the chance at Maye or Williams for now, but Daniels’ impressive Heisman season has turned this season-long QB1 ladder match into a three-way dance at the top of the draft that would make Paul Heyman proud,” Tice wrote.

“Daniels is a clean thrower who is accurate at all three levels. His footwork has improved every year in college and he constantly gets the ball out early and gets his teammates into advantageous situations with his ball placement. Daniels has good arm strength and can drive on underneath throws, and throws a catchable deep ball.

“He also has the speed and burst to extend plays and create as a runner that has drawn (a bit lofty, in my opinion) comparisons to Lamar Jackson.”

Tice believed the Patriots could use someone as mobile as Daniels, but he also noted there are size concerns for the QB who weighs under 210 pounds.

The NFL analyst wasn’t the only person to have Daniels selected in the top five, so there does seem to be legitimate hype on the LSU signal-caller being in the conversation with Williams and Maye. It also should be a bright spot for Patriots fans since a selection outside of the top two doesn’t rule them out of taking a high-end quarterback in the draft.

New England still has other holes on its roster, but winning more games in the final two weeks of the regular season might not be as killer as it was thought to be before.