Patriots 7-round Mock Draft: Interests of rumored GM dictate picks
TRADE!
The Patriots decide to make a trade with the Cardinals, sending the 34th overall pick and JuJu Smith-Schuster to Arizona for the 27th pick in the first round.
. . 2. 485. . J.J. McCarthy. player. 7 round mock RD 2 QB. J.J. McCarthy. Quarterback
This would surely please every fan who wants to see the Patriots leave the first round with their next franchise quarterback.
Maybe it's not Drake Maye or Caleb Williams, but how about trading up for Michigan's J.J. McCarthy, who led his team to an undefeated season in 2023 and ended the year with a National Championship win over the Washington Huskies.
McCarthy has gone under the radar so far leading up to the draft, hoping for a good showing at the Combine to change that. But at this point, he's considered a late second-rounder, which will likely change before the draft, which is why the Patriots would probably need to trade up for him.
He's not the most experienced quarterback in the class, but he's more mobile than New England's typical quarterback over the last two decades and has impressive arm strength, which has been a big knock on Mac Jones since he was drafted three years ago.
Snagging him late in the first round would ensure the Patriots addressed two of the biggest concerns with their offense early and allows them to throw together an entirely new team out on the field for next season.