Shocking QB Prospect Linked to Patriots Ahead of Draft
By Jovan Alford
The New England Patriots will likely take their next franchise quarterback with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Most mock drafts have the Patriots taking UNC quarterback Drake Maye, who has been viewed as one of the top signal callers in this year’s draft class alongside Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels.
Patriots Rumors: New England to Explore All Options at Quarterback
However, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer reported on Monday that the Patriots “are exploring all options at quarterback” and mentioned Baker Mayfield’s name. Breer added that he wouldn’t “totally dismiss the idea of J.J. McCarthy, maybe in a trade-down scenario or even at No. 3.”
It’s not shocking to hear McCarthy’s name brought up, as many believe he could be the fourth quarterback taken in next month’s draft behind Williams, Daniels, and Maye. The University of Michigan standout quarterback has seen draft stock catapult after helping lead the Wolverines to a national championship in January.
McCarthy’s buzz went to another level at the NFL Scouting Combine last week, as there’s a chance he could find his way into the top 10.
The 6-foot-2 quarterback didn’t throw the ball a lot at Michigan, but he still made the throws he needed to make when the Wolverines needed a big play.
This past season, McCarthy completed a career-high 72.3% of his passes for 2,991 yards, 22 touchdowns, and four interceptions. He also had 202 rushing yards and three touchdowns on the ground.
Nonetheless, it will be interesting to see what direction the Patriots go at quarterback, as they cannot mess this up after taking Mac Jones in the first round a few years ago. As of right now, McCarthy has the fourth-best odds to be drafted with the No. 3 overall pick (+850 on FanDuel Sportsbook).
Lastly, the Patriots have the fourth-best odds to select McCarthy as the Minnesota Vikings, Denver Broncos, and Atlanta Falcons are all co-favorites at +500 on FanDuel Sportsbook.
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