Patriots: 3 moves that should come next for New England
By Jerry Trotta
1. Draft Mac Jones or Micah Parsons
The Patriots should draft Mac Jones or Micah Parsons at No. 15 overall.
Equipped with their highest draft pick in several years, the Patriots are in a precarious situation following the blockbuster trade between the 49ers and Dolphins, which saw the former jump up nine spots to No. 3 overall to presumably select their quarterback of the future.
This trade could pressure other teams into drafting a quarterback, meaning all of the consensus top prospects could be gone by the time it’s New England’s turn to pick at No. 15 overall. If there’s any prospect who could fall that far, however, it’s Alabama star Mac Jones, who’s been heavily linked to the Patriots over the last few months.
If Jones is available, it goes without saying that they should draft him, as numerous scouts have likened his intangibles to that of Tom Brady. Even we would admit that the two players have an eerily similar build and the same goes for their athleticism, decision-making, arm strength and pocket poise. Still, Jones has a long way to prove he’s even a semblance of Braday.
There are questions about how Jones will translate to the NFL given that he was working with the best offensive personnel in the country at Alabama, but we’re not going to hold that against him. After all, he made the most of his situation, leading the nation in completion percentage (77.4%), passing yards (4,500), yards per attempt (11.2) and passer rating (203.1).
In the event that Jones is unavailable, however, the Pats should pivot and select Micah Parsons, who would be a dream fit in Belichick’s defensive scheme. The Penn State linebacker is a proven pass rusher, and has the requisite size (6-foot-3, 245 pounds) and speed to drop back in coverage against both wideouts and tight ends.
The Patriots will be lucky if Parsons falls to No. 15 after his electrifying pro day, but he wouldn’t be the worst fallback option if a team ahead of them nabs Jones. After all, they desperately need another imposing presence in the middle of the field alongside Hightower, and Parsons would check every box if they opt against signing a free agent like Wright.
