The New England Patriots are in an unprecedented position with the No. 3 overall pick of the 2024 NFL draft. Whatever path they take will have a profound impact on the team for years to come.
They could address the quarterback situation by selecting Caleb Williams, Drake Maye or Jayden Daniels. Or, they could address other areas of need offensively by going after highly-touted wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr or one of the top-two offensive tackles, Olu Fashanu and Joe Alt.
There’s also the opportunity to make a big splash by trading up or even trading back for more draft picks.
When appearing on “The Greg Hill Show” on Monday morning, Patriots coach Jerod Mayo revealed the team’s plan when approaching the No. 3 draft pick.
“We are going to take the best player available for the biggest need on the team,” said Mayo.
Mayo on @TheGregHillShow: "We are going to take the best player available for the biggest need on the team."
— Evan Lazar (@ezlazar) January 22, 2024
The biggest need for the Patriots is obviously the quarterback position.
Mac Jones nosedived in his third year under center, while Bailey Zappe finished the year with five interceptions and no touchdowns in back-to-back losses to the New York Jets and Buffalo Bills.
Of course, Mayo could be referring to wide receiver or offensive tackle, if the plan is to sign or trade for a veteran quarterback in free agency. The newly-hired head coach learned from the best when it comes to keeping his cards close to his chest.
If anything, this simply proves New England might be the most unpredictable team in the entire draft.
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