There was a lot debate within the weeks main as much as the 2024 NFL Draft relating to whether or not the Patriots ought to commerce the third total decide, however they made the correct resolution Thursday.
New England rebuffed a number of last-minute gives from different groups and drafted Drake Maye with the No. 3 decide. De facto common supervisor Eliot Wolf and head coach Jerod Mayo imagine the North Carolina product is an elevator of expertise but additionally weren’t keen to outright title him the No. 1 quarterback.
Evaluators like former Patriots head coach Invoice Belichick identified the issues within the 21-year-old’s recreation and have been hesitant to evaluate him to Josh Allen. Followers have been blended on the decide, however the destructive reception largely was due to the opposite flaws on the Patriots’ roster. These obligations are on Wolf and Mayo, who acknowledged there’ll should be work finished in the remainder of the draft.
However this was the correct method for the Patriots. The workforce is nowhere close to competing for a Tremendous Bowl, in order that they have time to rebuild and retool the roster. Maye believes within the expertise on the workforce, and it has an opportunity to get higher if Wolf and his workers pinpoint the correct wants for the group.
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For the trade-down of us, the best way the 2024 NFL Draft performed out confirmed why staying at No. 3 and selecting Maye was the correct selection. This undoubtedly is hindsight evaluation, however chaos was the headline after Thursday evening.
The primary 14 picks of the draft have been offensive gamers, and 6 quarterbacks have been chosen within the first 12 picks. New England reportedly held a pre-draft go to with Michael Penix Jr. as insurance coverage for a trade-down state of affairs. The Atlanta Falcons had different concepts after they picked the Washington product eighth total. Bo Nix was then taken twelfth total by the Denver Broncos, which was a attain by a number of analysts’ requirements.
J.J. McCarthy’s hype proved to be a smokescreen. He didn’t go high 4 nor did the New York Giants hand over on Daniel Jones to take the Michigan product. The Minnesota Vikings bought their man by solely buying and selling up one spot with the New York Jets.
It might need been motion manner too far on one aspect, however the NFL informed the world how essential the quarterback place is. There’s simply a lot worth in having a franchise quarterback than above-average gamers who raise up a signal-caller. Would the Patriots be a extra rounded workforce with Jacoby Brissett together with weapons like Brian Thomas Jr. and a stable offensive deal with? Certain, however we’ve seen how restricted a ceiling a Brissett-led workforce brings.
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The purpose is to win Tremendous Bowls, and also you try this with high-end expertise beginning on the quarterback place. Is Maye that man? Who is aware of? However he has the instruments to be a franchise quarterback, and that’s powerful to go up simply to be a number of video games over .500.
Opinions between Maye and McCarthy fluctuate, however high draft analysts like Mel Kiper Jr. and Daniel Jeremiah had Maye increased on their boards than McCarthy. New England on paper bought the higher signal-caller, and it doesn’t seem to be different groups provided a ok deal to maneuver out of No. 3. The Patriots might need been asking for an excessive amount of, however a top-three decide is a premium spot and also you higher have a superb purpose to maneuver out of it.
Once more, hindsight is 20/20 and affirmation bias is a slippery slope to dive into. However the best way the 2024 NFL Draft performed out confirmed why the Patriots taking Maye was the right selection.