Patriots' latest activity hints at plans for draft

The New England Patriots are zeroing in on two quarterbacks before the NFL Draft on April 25-27.

Per Jeff Howe of The Athletic, the Patriots will hold a "lengthy meeting" with LSU QB Jayden Daniels on Tuesday before attending his pro day on Wednesday. They'll also attend North Carolina QB Drake Maye's pro day on Thursday.

The Patriots have the third pick in the draft. Tankathon projects the Washington Commanders will take Daniels — who won the Heisman Trophy and earned first-team All-American honors in 2023 — with the second pick.

However, NFL Media's Tom Pelissero reported many league executives believe Commanders general manager Adam Peters wants to select Michigan QB J.J. McCarthy with the second pick. If this happens, the Patriots will have an interesting choice between Maye or Daniels.

In three seasons at North Carolina, Maye, 21, finished with the fourth-most passing TDs (63) and the fifth-most passing yards (8,018) in school history. On Monday at the league meeting in Orlando, Fla., Patriots rookie head coach Jerod Mayo said, "There's no ceiling with a guy like [Maye]."  

Daniels, 23, is an exceptional runner who rushed for 3,307 yards and 34 TDs in five seasons at Arizona State and LSU. In 2023, he made significant strides as a passer.

"Daniels was the most improved player in college football last season, as his passing touchdown total went from 17 to 40," wrote ESPN draft analyst Matt Miller. "His lean body type [6-foot-4, 210 pounds] may give some teams pause, but his deep-ball passing and rushing ability are special traits."  

The Patriots are still looking for a successor to future Hall of Famer Tom Brady. Bridge QB Jacoby Brissett — who signed a one-year, $8M deal in free agency — and former fourth-round pick Bailey Zappe aren't the answer.

Looking into two prospects with immense potential is a wise strategy for the franchise.