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3 quarterbacks the Patriots could pick later in the 2021 Draft

By Zachary Downing

Dec 30, 2020; Arlington, TX, USA; Florida Gators quarterback Kyle Trask (11) in the pocket in the second quarter against the Oklahoma Sooners at ATT Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 30, 2020; Arlington, TX, USA; Florida Gators quarterback Kyle Trask (11) in the pocket in the second quarter against the Oklahoma Sooners at ATT Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports /
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Should the Patriots use their No. 15 selection on a quarterback or wait?

The last time the Patriots were seeking a quarterback with a top-15 first-round pick, there were only 28 teams in the league and Bill Belichick was coach of the Cleveland Browns. It’s a different era here in 2021, and many fans are hoping the Patriots can find a new franchise QB by drafting a huge name with the No. 15 overall selection.

Alabama’s Mac Jones and North Dakota State’s Trey Lance are the most likely to fall to that spot, but some are holding out hope for BYU’s Zach Wilson and Ohio State’s Justin Fields to drop that far.

However, it’s no guarantee that coach Belichick decides to draft a QB in the first round at all. He may consider a WR like Alabama’s Jaylen Waddle more valuable, or perhaps standout Florida tight end Kyle Pitts after blowing two third-round picks on Dalton Keene and Devin Asiasi last year.

Belichick’s drafting methods are often hard to predict, but if he does decide to wait to draft a quarterback, here are three really good options.

Patriots
Quarterback Jamie Newman #12 of the Wake Forest Demon Deacons (Photo by Adam Hunger/Getty Images) /

3. Jamie Newman

Jamie Newman sat out the 2020 season, but he could be a great fit for the Pats.

Georgia QB Jamie Newman isn’t the easiest player to assess, especially since he never technically played for the Bulldogs at all. He opted out of the 2020 season after transferring from Wake Forest, so NFL scouts have to evaluate him primarily based off of his 2019 season in the ACC.

What he brought to the table that season was an impressive outing that left potential for a breakout year in 2020, if not for COVID. In 12 games, Newman threw for 2,868 yards and 26 touchdowns while adding 464 yards and six TDs on the ground. His size and athleticism makes you think of Deshaun Watson, though we’re not going to get ahead of ourselves here.

Coach Belichick finally had some experience with a rushing quarterback in 2020, and if Newman can pass the ball as reliably as he runs it, McDaniels and Belichick can interchange Cam Newton-style play calls with Tom Brady-style play calls to really diversify the offense.

Many analysts have Newman pegged as a second-rounder, but after opting out of last season, he could possibly be overlooked in favor of quarterbacks with more recent experience. We’ll see if New England bites on his second-round availability. If not, he could be a late-round steal.

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