Jerod Mayo clarifies recent comments about Patriots plans for first-round pick

During his media tour in the hours after being introduced as the Patriots' next head coach, Jerod Mayo made headlines when he seemingly revealed his plans for the team's third overall pick in the upcoming draft. Although he didn't explicitly name the position he was leaning toward drafting, the implication wasn't lost on those who listened to the clip.

“We’re gonna draft the best player for a position that is very important. You put the pieces together.”

Most assumed he was referring to taking a quarterback due to the emphasis on how important the position was, and it's still possible that's the route they will take. It's what nearly every expert has mock-drafted for New England, and given their positioning at the top of the draft, it makes a lot of sense.

However, Mayo clarified his comments on Monday morning during an appearance on WEEI's "The Greg Hill Show," letting it be known that multiple positions are deemed important, not just quarterback.

"We're going to take the best available player for the biggest need on the team: offensive line, receiver, quarterback -- pick your [choice]."

Perhaps this is damage control since giving away your team's plans is not what any coach should do. Or maybe he's telling the truth because all three need significant upgrading, and they are in a great spot to select some of the best of the entire draft at each position.

Mayo went into further detail regarding the decision process, stating everyone has their own opinion on the best path to take, but noted there are people in place to properly evaluate talent.

“I don’t think you can get the entire organization to see it the same. They may see the position we need as, ‘We need a quarterback,’ or, ‘We need a running back,’ or, ‘We need a receiver.’ At the same time, there’s a lot that goes into those picks. We’ll evaluate those players but we also have a scouting department that’s paid to do a lot of that stuff as well. At the end of the day, we have to make a decision, and we’re responsible for it.”

He makes a lot of good points, and because of how critical this draft will be for the direction of the Patriots, there will continue to be endless debates about who they should or shouldn't draft.

Fortunately, free agency begins in just over seven weeks so we'll gain some clarity on how they may approach their first-round pick based on who they sign prior to the draft.

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