After the loss to the Buffalo Bills, the New England Patriots sit third in the NFL draft with an opportunity to go a bit higher or as low as the seventh pick overall. A win against the Jets will put them in a position to drop, and that's to be expected; after all, they are the New York Jets.
All that notwithstanding, today, they'd have the third pick overall, and it's time to predict a draft for them in the top three rounds if they remain at three. So here we got with a draft to set up the Pats offense for a rapid emergence from the bottom of the AFC East Division.
(Note: thanks to profootballnetwork.com for their excellent mock draft simulator. )
New England Patriots go with a dual-threat QB in the first round.
The Patriots need a starting quarterback after the poor season executed by their top two quarterbacks in 2023, Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe. Jones is likely trade bait, while Zappe may stick around as a backup. Whatever their situation, the Patriots need to go big and early for a quarterback, and they take a perfect one here.
With their first pick in the 2024 draft, the Patriots take a recognized star QB from Louisiana State, a Heisman Trophy winner, Jayden Daniels. Daniels can do it all, and he's the choice no matter who else is on the board when the Patriots select.
Here's' what Pro Football Focus has to say about Daniels, their third-rated QB in the 2024 draft,
"Daniels is a good dual-threat quarterback who has a ton of yards from scrimmage. Last year, he focused on taking care of the ball and had one of the lowest turnover-worthy play rates in the nation. This year, he's focused on playing better under pressure while pushing the ball downfield more often — and he's done both at career-high levels. His growth in all areas is encouraging and shows that he could be a QB to invest in."
To be more emphatic, Daniels should be a QB you invest a top pick in. He's a 6"3' tall dual threat who can burn a defense with both his arm and his legs. His 2023 stats are eye-opening. He notched 40 TDs through the air with 3812 yards, a 72.2% completion percentage, and only four interceptions.
Add to that his great running ability having run for 1134 yards with 10 additional TDs and you have the complete package for the modern NFL. Pats fans should be delirious with this selection as it goes against all conventions of a team that's led by Bill Belichick as de facto GM.
The thought here is that Belichick will not be in command of the draft and that the new GM will have the savvy to take a top talent like Daniels and build a powerhouse offense around him. If Belichick remains in charge of the draft, who knows what he will do.
New England Patriots go with a big wide receiver in the second round.
In the second round, the Patriots continue the monster process of re-stocking their listless offense. First, they trade down three spots and give up their 34th and 164th picks for the Washington Commanders' 36th and 96th picks.
This board manipulation puts the Pats in a position to add several top players to an offense that needs help at all the skill positions save perhaps running back. At pick #36 the Pats add a big wide receiver in South Carolina Xavier Legette.
At 6'3" tall and 227 pounds, Legette gives Jayden Daniels a big target to help him revitalize and offense that had trouble moving the chains, not to mention scoring touchdowns. It's all about offense in 2024 draft, and the Patriots get a solid wide receiver in the second round. Si.com has this to say about the big wideout,
"In his final year with South Carolina, Legette hauled in a remarkable 71 catches for 1,255 yards, finding the end zone seven times. These numbers speak volumes about his ability to impact the field substantially, showcasing his prowess as a dynamic and reliable playmaker."
New England Patriots select a huge offensive left tackle in the third round.
The New England Patriots continue their offense-heavy draft in the third round in addressing one of their top needs in selecting Houston's huge offensive tackle, Patrick Paul. Bleacherreport.com has this to say about the Cougars' gigantic, 6'7" tall and 315-pound offensive left tackle,
"Patrick Paul is a four-year starting left tackle inside Houston's RPO-heavy, balanced (53-47 run-pass split), zone-based run scheme with a tall, high-cut frame, excellent arm length and good athletic ability...Paul casts a wide net with his length, utilizing a circle punch to evade the cross-chop and has good stopping power in his anchor to strain and dissipate the bull rush. He also brings a tone-setting demeanor, consistently driving his feet through the whistle looking to bury opponents."
Paul will be slated to replace the likely exiting free agent Trent Brown, who's booked a ticket out of town seemingly with his 2023 play. With his size and length, Paul will be an excellent addition to an offensive line that desperately needs fortification at the tackle position. With this pick, the Patriots have attempted to plug three glaring holes in an offense that defenses loved to see in 2023.
New England Patriots add a versatile pass-catching and blocking tight end.
With the additional third-round pick acquired from Washington, the Pats stay true to the objective and continue with their offense-heavy draft. This time, they take the best tight end left on the board in Ben Sinnott from Kansas State.
Sinnott is a 6'4" tall, 245-pounder who had a nice season in 2023 when he caught 49 passes with six TDs and 676 yards. Very interestingly, Sinnott has versatility as he also doubles as a fullback.
Sinnott could be a steal at the end of the third round as he can do lots to help an offense succeed. Here's what Athlonsports.com has to say about the Kansas State tight end,
"Sinnott has shown strong concentration and hands. When throws are put on his body, he’s done well to attack and work back to the ball to ensure defenders aren’t cutting him off to beat him to the spot... You see good contact balance with the ball in his hands to absorb lazy or desperate tackle challenges, and he's not afraid to put a move on you or run through you.
"I love the urgency with which he plays. Sinnott is aggressive as a blocker, quickly getting on top of defenders on the edge, or closing space to steepen their angles on the second level. He’s physical and takes good angles to widen against scaping linebackers, too. I would consider him a plus blocker on the edge, from the backfield, or as a lead blocker. "
There's the new 3-round Patriots mock draft. Their first four picks address every position of massive need on offense. They can then continue to add more offensive depth with their additional selections. It's all about the offense in the Patriots 2024 offseason, and they crush it in this 3-round mock draft.