Patriots: Surprising reports emerge regarding first-round draft plans before Mac Jones
By Jerry Trotta
It looked for a while during the first round that the New England Patriots were going to be able to land Justin Fields.
All it was going to take for those dreams to be crushed was a team striking a big trade, and that’s exactly what happened when Chicago moved up nine spots to No. 11 overall.
Though that was a colossal buzzkill, the Patriots settled for quite the consolation prize by drafting Mac Jones at No. 15 overall.
That’s right, folks. Bill Belichick was able to snag one of his favorite quarterback prospects without having to trade up.
If you told Patriots fans that was going to be the case before the NFL Draft got underway, most of them likely would’ve signed up for it in a heartbeat. However, the follow-up reports regarding the team’s first-round draft plans suggest Jones wasn’t always on their radar.
According to Doug Kyed of NESN, the Patriots were seemingly giving touted offensive lineman Aijah Vera-Tucker serious consideration at No. 15 overall before the New York Jets jumped one spot ahead of them and nabbed him.
Had the Patriots been able to land Vera-Tucker in the first round, Kyed is of the understanding they would’ve targeted Stanford quarterback Davis Mills in Round 2 … even if Justin Fields was available! What?! If Fields fell all the way to No. 15, Belichick was actually going to pass?!
Two Patriots notes to end the night:
— Doug Kyed (@DougKyed) April 30, 2021
-- If the Jets didn't trade up, Alijah Vera-Tucker was in play at No. 15. In that scenario, it might be AVT at 15 and Stanford QB Davis Mills in the second round.
-- I don't believe Justin Fields was a possibility at 15, CHI trade-up or no.
The Patriots reportedly weren’t always considering taking a quarterback in the first round of the NFL Draft.
Talk about throwing a wrench into fans celebrations, right? Most of the pre-draft buzz suggested the Patriots were quarterback or bust in the first round.
This report, however, confirms New England was considering an offensive lineman … after they spent the early stages of the offseason overhauling the unit. While Vera-Tucker could convert to a tackle down the road, he projects as a guard (and a damn good one) early on in his career.
That’s what makes this report so befuddling. With veteran Shaq Mason and 2020 sixth-round gem Michael Onwenu penciled in as the starters at right and left guard, the Patriots are set on the interior more so than any other position on their offensive line.
After all, center David Andrews’ health will always remain a concern after he missed the entirety of the 2019 season with blood clots in his lungs. There are also question marks about left tackle Isaiah Wynn’s durability and right tackle Trent Brown’s motor.
The Patriots didn't waste their time on the clock at No. 15, which seemed to reflect their conviction: Alabama QB Mac Jones is the pick.
— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) April 30, 2021
Still, however, those aren’t overly worrisome concerns. Each one of Andrews, Wynn and Brown have the potential to be world-beaters at their respective positions.
We’re not going to overreact about something that didn’t come to fruition, but it’s still fun thinking about what fans’ reaction would’ve been had the Patriots drafted Vera-Tucker over their potential quarterback of the future when their offensive line isn’t close to a pressing need.
