Jerod Mayo Weighs In On Ownership’s Role In Patriots Drafting QB

The New England Patriots have a franchise-altering decision to make next month with the No. 3 overall pick in the NFL draft, and several options to choose from at that spot.

The Patriots could draft their quarterback of the future with the pick or use the selection to solidify another area of need. There's also the possibly that New England could trade the pick to acquire more draft capital.

Whatever path the Patriots take will be determined by de facto general manager Eliot Wolf and head coach Jerod Mayo, both of whom are first timers in their respective roles.

But could Patriots owner Robert Kraft have a say in what the team does with the third pick?

Mayo was asked about ownership's role in drafting a quarterback when he met with the media Monday during the AFC coaches breakfast at the annual league meeting.

"They don't want to be involved in football decisions," Mayo told reporters, per team-provided video. "But they have given us the tools to go out there and get the guys that we want. They've given us the backing, or the confidence to go out there and be aggressive if we are convicted on a player. But at the end of the day, they don't want to be involved with football decisions."

Draft talk dominated the conversation for Mayo, specifically speaking about the top quarterback prospects. Mayo gave his opinion on Drake Maye, who has been heavily linked to New England, while he also discussed the quarterback class as a whole with the former Patriots linebacker seeing many starting-caliber quarterbacks available.

Even though Mayo said ownership will have no input in football matters, they might not sit on the sidelines completely while Mayo and Wolf make the all-important draft decisions.

Kraft and others could play devil's advocate when it comes to selecting a quarterback, but Mayo hasn't found out yet if that will be the case.

"Honestly, I'm not sure. This is my first draft as a head coach. Seriously, I'm really not sure," Mayo said with a laugh. "But one thing I will say is that the Kraft family and ownership they have given us the ability to go out there and offer big contracts, to go out there and take a quarterback at three, to go out there and move down. So, all those things are up in the air.

"It's their team, but they have entrusted myself and Eliot to really kind of put this thing back together."