The New England Patriots will have a chance to select the next face of their franchise when they pick third overall in the 2024 NFL Draft. One of USC quarterback Caleb Williams, UNC QB Drake Maye, LSU QB Jayden Daniels or Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. will be available when the Pats are on the clock.
On Tuesday's Arbella Early Edition, we asked the fans whether New England should take the best QB available or Harrison with that No. 3 pick. Harrison earned most of the votes, but our Phil Perry vehemently disagreed with the poll results. He explained why the Patriots need to draft a QB in April.
"The draft is a game. It's a game of chance. If you don't take the chance on the quarterback, you'll never hit," Perry said. "Let's look back to the 2021 draft. Top 10 picks like Patrick Surtain and Jaycee Horn and Jaylen Waddle. Those are good players. Are their teams any closer to a Super Bowl because they drafted those guys? No. It's because they don't have a quarterback. You have to do whatever you can to find the quarterback to make yourself a great team.
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"You can hit on every top 10 pick for a decade. If you don't have a quarterback, you're not winning anything. So you take the chance, you roll the dice, and yes you might fail, but it's worth the risk."
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If the Patriots pass on Williams, Maye, and Daniels, they could still find their QB later in the draft. Washington's Michael Penix Jr., Michigan's J.J. McCarthy, and Oregon's Bo Nix are among the top options after the consensus top three.
With Williams as the likely No. 1 pick, the Patriots could end up with Maye or Daniels at No. 3. Perry shared his thoughts on both quarterbacks while providing his pro comps.
"Drake Maye is somebody whose game I think would have a lot of similarities to Jordan Love," he said. "A little bit of an elongated release, but a really good athlete. Can throw off platform. Has these flashes of brilliance when it comes to downfield accuracy and fitting it into tight windows over the middle. But it's been inconsistent. His last two games as a collegian might have been his worst two games of the season. So, that would scare me a little bit, especially considering the competition.
"He's not like, for instance, Jayden Daniels, who's coming from the SEC. Who just had one of the best seasons in college football history statistically against good competition. He also might run a 4.4 (-second 40-yard dash). I don't think he's going to run at the combine because quarterbacks don't generally do that. Freaky athlete, accurate deep down the field, and takes care of the football, something Caleb Williams doesn't do all that well.
"In terms of pro comps, it's really hard. Can I say Lamar Jackson without getting skewered? I don't think he's as fast or as explosive as Lamar, but that's the style of quarterback you're talking about."
Perry has made it known that he's high on Daniels, stating he'd take him over both Maye and Williams.
Whether it's via the draft or free agency, the Patriots must upgrade at the quarterback position after a disastrous 2023 campaign. Mac Jones, their first-round pick in 2021, struggled mightily before being benched in favor of 2022 fourth-rounder Bailey Zappe. Their combined efforts resulted in a 4-13 record and New England's third elimination from playoff contention in the last four years.
The 2024 NFL Draft is scheduled to begin on April 25.
