The New England Patriots will go into the summer with nine new draft picks on their squad. The hyped selections of Caleb Lomu and Gabe Jacas in the first and second rounds were both players the team traded up for, but some Day 3 picks weren't so well received.
Karon Prunty was a sound collegiate player, but he wasn't invited to the Combine. The fifth-round pick wasn't given the benefit of the doubt after the selection. Furthermore, 6-foot-3, 233-pound edge defender Quintayvious Hutchins was a puzzling pick, albeit in the seventh round.
He had only 5.5 sacks over his four-year college career, and Next Gen Stats grades his athleticism to just a 53/99. His Relative Athletic Score (RAS) was just a 5.15/10.
Of all the picks made by teams around the league, however, New England's selection at Pick 234 was deemed one of the worst: Texas Tech quarterback Behren Morton.
Behren Morton revered as one of the worst picks on the 2026 NFL Draft
In a recent article from Bleacher Report's Brent Sobleski, Morton was one of six players mentioned as one of the worst picks from the entire draft class. Miami's selection of Kadyn Proctor at No. 12 also made the list.
Sobleski reasons that Morton has little physical upside while better options were on the board. Morton wasn't a top 300 player on B/R's consensus Big Board. Furthermore, he turns 25 in January and was injured every season of his college career.
Over five seasons in Lubbock, Morton threw for nearly 9,000 yards while totaling 78 touchdowns to only 28 interceptions. Last season, he threw for 22 touchdowns and 6 interceptions, but the Red Raiders' offense came to a screeching halt in the playoffs, as they were shut out by Oregon.
Other quarterback options might make more sense
Last season, the Patriots carried three quarterbacks: Drake Maye, Josh Dobbs, and Tommy DeVito. DeVito was promoted to the QB2 role this offseason following Dobbs's release, but it's of note that he was a waiver claim last season.
The team opted for him over Louisiana UDFA Ben Wooldridge, who finished the preseason 26/45 for 269 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception.
While Morton is likely to have an inside track to a roster spot, New England could look for an outside option to fill the QB3 void if Morton doesn't play up to par. The Browns currently roster four quarterbacks, with Dillon Gabriel being a notable player who could be released.
Additionally, there were several UDFA quarterbacks who could have been better options than Morton. Kansas's Jalon Daniels's Next Gen Stats athletic score was a 78/99, and was a player New England used a top 30 visit on. Georgia Tech's Haynes King, Baylor's Sawyer Robertson, and UConn's Joe Fagnano may have been better selections.
Regardless, Morton has a great opportunity to make an NFL roster despite an extensive injury history and subpar athleticism. As things stand, the Patriots roster only houses Maye and DeVito aside from Morton, meaning a solid preseason is likely to see him rostered as the emergency QB3.
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