The Talk Around Indy Confirms the Patriots are Looking to Take a QB with the No. 3 Pick
In the 21st century, the Patriots have had only two picks in the Top 10 of the Draft. In the last 31 drafts, they've had a total of five. And since those picks were Drew Bledsoe, Willie McGinest, Terry Glenn, Richard Seymour and Jerod Mayo, it's safe to say that they've batted 1.000. Despite the fact that three different GMs (Bill Parcells wanted to draft a defensive end and was vetoed in favor of Glenn) made those picks.
Which goes a long way toward explaining how the franchise went to 10 Super Bowls in that time. It sounds counter-intuitive to put it this way, but one of the "benefits" of always drafting in the back half of the 1st round is you can afford to miss on some of your picks. By their nature, teams drafting in the 20s are better than the ones in the single digits, so they can afford to swing for the fences. And whiffing on say, an Isaiah Wynn, isn't nearly so costly as if they'd taken Vernon Gholston instead of Mayo in 2008. It's all a matter of draft capital and ROI.
Which means this draft's No. 3 is the most important pick they've had since the Bledsoe one. The overall talent level on the roster hasn't been so low since '93. And the whole trajectory of the franchise for the foreseeable future will be determined by the success or failure of this judgment call. That is, unless they find the best player of all time in the 6th round again, which I'm not counting on.
And with all that as predicate, I like what I'm hearing out of the Combine:
Source - Despite an NFL trend of fewer coaches attending the annual scouting combine, new New England Patriots coach Jerod Mayo made sure to be here.
Why? The first-time coach wants to sit in on interviews with the top quarterback prospects. The Patriots are scheduled to chat with Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, Jayden Daniels and others, and they’re going to speak with them. …
The Patriots really want to draft a quarterback with the No. 3 pick. The front office wrapped up its pre-free-agency meetings a week ago and seems to be on the same page that the best way to jump-start this rebuild and yield long-term success is to find a young quarterback in the NFL Draft to build around.
The Patriots’ decision-makers know there are a lot of holes on the roster beyond the quarterback position. They know there’s one roster-building sentiment that suggests they’d be wise to improve the rest of the team before dropping a rookie quarterback into it — that a rookie quarterback won’t be set up for success until the rest of the roster is better.
But the Patriots look at it like this: If you get the rare chance to draft one of the top prospects at the game’s most valuable position, it’s worth taking a big swing even if the surrounding roster isn’t great. The quarterback position is simply too important to risk passing on one in hopes of maybe landing one a year or two later.
The opposite plan is what the Atlanta Falcons have done. … Last season, even though they boasted good pass catchers, a great offensive line and a great running game, they still ranked 26th in points scored and finished 7-10, which led to the firing of coach Arthur Smith.
The Patriots don’t want to make the same mistake. And even better for them, taking a QB at No. 3 won’t solely be about filling a need. They’ll be getting a player they actually covet. According to several NFL executives unassociated with the Patriots, the top available quarterback prospects appear to align with top decision-maker Eliot Wolf’s preferred QB traits.
This is exactly what I want to hear. Sweet sweet music to these aging, increasingly hairy ears.
I know the bust rate on top-rated quarterbacks is off-the-charts high. I'm aware there are several desirable, blue-chip prospects at different positions worthy of the third pick. It's not lost on me that they have holes to fill all over the roster, primarily on offense. Nor that they won't be able to get competitive unless they fill them.
But with all due respect to the people saying WR Marvin Harrison Jr., TE Brock Bowers or LT Joe Alt would be smart, safe way to start the rebuild:
If not this draft, then when. If not Caleb Williams (won't be available without giving up future 1sts), Drake Maye or Jayden Daniels, then whom? If you go with MHJ or Bowers, who do you hope to get them the ball? Mac Jones? Some veteran like Kirk Cousins, Baker Mayfield or Jacoby Brissett? How are any of them going to be the one to win you your next postseason game? Put Alt on this team and I can't help but see him fated to a Joe Thomas career of 11 seasons and 10 Pro Bowls, but blocking for three dozen quarterbacks. And more Hall of Fame inductions (one) than total trips to the playoffs (zero).
Like we've already established, the stakes are enormous on this one. And it's all going to be for nothing if Wolf and Mayo don't hit this pick out of the park. But it'll be for even less if they don't find someone they can put under center for the next 15-plus years and trust him to win a game when nothing else is going right.
Whether they can find that guy, we won't know for a long time. Whether they can be trusted to make the right call, no one can be sure. All I am certain of is that I share their priorities and their sense of urgency. And since I hope to never be drafting this high ever again, I want this one and only trip into the Top 3 to solve this quarterback crisis once and for all.