The New England Patriots are in the enviable position of having a top-three pick during a year in which multiple top-tier quarterback prospects have entered the NFL Draft.
This makes their No. 3 overall pick pretty valuable. If the Patriots like these quarterbacks and believe they can be franchise players, it makes sense to keep this pick. Finding franchise quarterbacks is very difficult, and it's not often you own a top-three pick. This is the Patriots' first since 1993.
You could also make a case that trading out of No. 3 and stockpiling more draft picks is the best way for the Patriots to rebuild their roster. And based on what teams have paid to trade up into the top three in recent years, it might be worth it for the Patriots to at least consider the possibility of moving down.
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What would maximize the trade value of the Patriots' first-round pick?
Well, according to ESPN's Dan Graziano, it sounds like Jayden Daniels being available at No. 3 would help.
"The teams you hear most strongly are the Minnesota Vikings and Las Vegas Raiders," Graziano said this week on SportsCenter when asked about teams potentially trading up. "Now those would be big jumps for both of those teams, and it could really depend on what happens at the very top. If we assume Caleb Williams goes first overall to the Bears, what does Washington do? If Washington takes Jayden Daniels, that might make the Vikings or the Raiders less motivated to go up if Daniels is the guy they like over Drake Maye.
"If Washington takes Maye, and the Vikings and Raiders both want Daniels, all of a sudden that Patriots pick at No. 3 becomes very valuable. Remember, the Vikings have already acquired a second first-round pick in a trade a couple weeks ago with Houston, so that gives them extra ammunition to move up if they want to.
"The Raiders, they know Jayden Daniels. Antonio Pierce, their head coach, was on Herm Edwards' coaching staff when Daniels began his career at Arizona State. So those are two teams that have the motivation and the means to move up if they want."
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Most mock drafts have Daniels going to the Washington Commanders at No. 2 and the Patriots selecting Maye at No. 3. Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy has steadily risen up draft rankings in recent months and could be a top 10 pick as well.
Which teams could consider trading up for a quarterback? The Vikings, Raiders, Denver Broncos and New York Giants are all possibilities. All four teams need a long-term upgrade at quarterback. The Vikings are the only one of those four teams with multiple 2024 first-round picks.
It'll be fascinating to see whether the Patriots use the No. 3 pick on a quarterback or trade down. For this reason, and others, they might be the most interesting team to watch entering the first round.