Patriots now know which top quarterbacks will be throwing at the Combine
The NFL Combine is quickly approaching and is the event to kick off the most exciting part of the 2024 offseason this week. The Patriots will reportedly be present and have their chance to watch some of the most desired talent up close and personal, particularly the quarterbacks.
This year, the draft will be even more crucial than in years past, not only because it is Jerod Mayo and Eliot Wolf's first together but also because of the number of roster holes that need to be addressed through it. The assumption has been they will select a quarterback with the third overall pick, and unfortunately for them, the pressure is on to make the proper selection.
Choosing the right guy for the job is never an easy task and can define a franchise's future on both ends of the spectrum. Of course, the hope if the Patriots take a quarterback in the first round is they get their next quarterback of the future. However, there's a chance that won't happen.
For optimism's sake, let's believe they pick the right player.
Because the Combine is this week, plenty of reports are already being made about which top players are set to be present and who will participate in some of the drills. NFL insider Ian Rapoport was revealing many of the quarterbacks who have decided to partake in throwing sessions of teams this week and who will not.
The highly touted first-overall pick Caleb Williams will reportedly not be throwing at the Combine and will wait until his Pro Day to do so. But Rapoport shares plenty of other notable quarterbacks who will be participating, like Jayden Daniels, Bo Nix, J.J. McCarthy, and Michael Penix Jr.
Although it would be ideal to see Williams this early in the pre-draft process, the Patriots will have the opportunity to see a handful of other quarterback prospects likely on their radar. It will give them an up close and personal look at some of the players they are interested in and provide an in-person example of what they could bring to the team if drafted.
This could be an event that helps Mayo and Wolf decide if taking a quarterback with the No. 3 pick is the way to go, as some believe they should trade down to acquire more selections.
Whether or not that happens, they will also get to meet and watch other quarterbacks currently projected to be late first-rounders/early second-rounders, which is also incredibly beneficial.