2024 NFL mock draft roundup: Who was most projected player at No. 3 to Patriots?

I’ve seen Jayden Daniels mocked here a lot, but I’m not nearly as confident he’s somebody who will go this early, even with the premium on QBs. Instead, I have New England adding a receiver in Marvin Harrison, who is as polished and talented as any receiver I’ve seen come out of college in a long time. He has a broader route tree than most college receivers and excellent footwork. It’s almost as if he was mentored by one of the greatest route-runners we’ve ever seen.

Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. should get strong consideration here, but nothing matters until you have a quarterback, and the Pats need one as badly as any team in the league. Daniels made huge strides as a passer last season on his way to winning the Heisman Trophy, and would give New England a true dual-threat weapon.

My models love Maye’s upside for a number of reasons, but one that stands out is the levels/routes he has thrown per computer-vision tracking data. He did not have the most consistent route runners and his ability to connect on many different throw speeds was extremely accurate. His intermediate throws that turned into receptions had a speed variance of about 7 mph. I only looked back for three seasons, but the average for Power Five QBs at the intermediate level is 3.4 mph.

The Patriots have moved on from Bill Belichick, but the biggest problem on their roster remains the quarterback. Jayden Daniels has special creation capacity and all the explosive traits necessary to be a high draft pick. An evasive runner with a powerful arm, Daniels fits the mold of an early-round QB. Whoever the third QB is should become a Patriot. For New England, it just so happens to be the reigning Heisman Trophy winner.

The Patriots have already waved the white flag on Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe, neither of whom worked out as pocket passers. Here they can go for the much bigger arm and athletic upside of Maye, who is a better version of Howell, his Tar Heels predecessor. They should look at QB first before addressing other offensive skill needs, and Maye makes easy sense should Williams and Daniels be off the board.

The Patriots move on from Mac Jones and draft Drake Maye, a QB prospect who has high-level physical tools and could help transition this franchise into a new era.

Harrison is an easy plug-and-play option here, but it will be interesting to see if the Patriots feel pressured to take a QB at No. 3.

If Maye is to fall, that slip might really take off here if the Patriots don’t pick him at No. 3 overall. In this mock, they add a big, dynamic vertical threat to the receiver group with Harrison Jr.

It’s a new regime in New England, and much like Quinn in Washington, coach Jerod Mayo will have the opportunity to bring in a franchise quarterback to build around. Neither Mac Jones nor Bailey Zappe is the answer. As a former NFL linebacker and defensive coordinator, Mayo knows all too well what a dual-threat QB like Daniels brings to the field.

The reigning Heisman Trophy winner, Daniels has elite open-field speed and vision as a runner, and he’s the best deep-ball passer in the draft class. He threw 40 touchdown passes in 2023, and an FBS-leading 22 of them were on throws of more than 20 air yards. Daniels was the most improved player in college football after dedicating himself to playing better within the pocket, and his draft stock has soared from Day 3 to here.

Drake Maye and Caleb Williams are neck-and-neck for QB2 in this class for me, so how any prospective passer fits with the New England Patriots’ scheme is the tie-breaker here. Maye is a better “in-phase” passer than Williams, and while both have highlight-reel scrambles and “Houdini” plays, Maye is most comfortable as a rhythm passer.

In New England, that’s likely the move. Maye held the ball, on average, nearly half a second less than Williams and had one of the lowest turnover-worthy play rates in the country. Without an elite option on the outside, getting a quarterback who can spread the ball out quickly is a must.

After spending time at the Senior Bowl, it sure seems like the Patriots are focused on drafting a quarterback with the third pick. The assumption here is that Caleb Williams and Drake Maye went with the first two picks. That leaves Daniels as the obvious choice for the Patriots. The biggest knock on him, according to one scout at the Senior Bowl, is his slender size (6-foot-4, 210 pounds). Executives are hoping he’ll put on some weight before the combine to alleviate some concerns about the hits he’ll take in the NFL. There’s no questioning, though, his performance in 2023 en route to the Heisman Trophy. The former four-star prospect went through some middling times early in his collegiate career before throwing for 40 touchdowns this season against only four interceptions.

The Patriots see both Caleb Williams and Drake Maye go right before their eyes, and in this scenario, they decide not to get too cute and take arguably the best overall player in the draft.

Harrison Jr. gives the Patriots a true game-changer and someone to dictate coverages, allowing new offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt to scheme open other secondary options.