Patriots Legend Implores Team To Use No. 3 Draft Pick This Way

There are many ways the New England Patriots could use the No. 3 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, the franchise's highest selection since 1993.

But if you ask Vince Wilfork, it's a borderline no-brainer what the Patriots should do once the Chicago Bears and the Washington Commanders make their respective draft-opening decisions.

"I'd go quarterback because this quarterback draft is so strong," Wilfork told USA Today. "You don't know next year what it is. I'm going quarterback because I'm not going to get the receivers. I'm not going to get the top-skilled position players coming to my team if I don't have a quarterback. It's hard to sell a program and an organization if they don’t have a quarterback.

"You can’t go out and land big receivers in free agency without a quarterback. It just doesn't happen. I would go quarterback, absolutely. I would not trade out of it. Quarterback is my first pick. We have a lot of them there, and I think we're going to be OK with the ones that are going to be available. And I would start my franchise back over with getting me a franchise quarterback."

The Patriots might be on the same page as Wilfork. On a recent episode of his podcast, ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter expressed pretty strong skepticism about the possibility of New England trading down. And if the Patriots stay at No. 3, drafting a player at a position other than QB would veer on reckless.

Landing the signal-caller who they truly want is a different story, though. There's a chance Washington could spoil New England's plans and force Jerod Mayo and company to go with Plan B.