The Patriots are officially one week into free agency, and though they’ve certainly been active, de facto general manager Eliot Wolf still has significant needs to fill in the 2024 NFL Draft.
We address those in our latest seven-round mock draft.
The Patriots currently have three quarterbacks on their roster: veteran Jacoby Brissett, third-year pro Bailey Zappe and CFL export Nathan Rourke. What they currently lack is a young potential high-end starter, and that’s what Maye would provide.
Current betting odds have LSU’s Jayden Daniels going No. 2 overall, whether that’s to the Commanders or in a trade-up from the Vikings. With USC’s Caleb Williams expected to go No. 1 overall to the Bears, that leaves the Patriots with Maye.
We know Maye impressed Patriots staffers in his formal interview at the NFL Scouting Combine.
Maye, who has prototypical size at 6-foot-4, 230 pounds, won’t be 22 until August. He was more productive in 2022 from a statistical perspective, but a scout told the Herald that Maye is viewed a developmental prospect based on his traits. Maye graded well from PFF on deep passes (second out of 50-plus FCS QBs in his class) and while facing pressure (fifth). If he can’t start right away, then Brissett could play Week 1.
Maye completed 63.3% of his passes for 3,608 yards with 24 touchdowns and nine interceptions in 2023. He also rushed for 582 yards with nine touchdowns on 41 carries. His numbers were even better in 2022 when he completed 65.7% of his passes for 4,293 yards with 37 touchdowns and seven interceptions and carried the ball 77 times for 899 yards with seven touchdowns with a better supporting cast.
A trade-up back into the first round, the Patriots give the Lions the 34th overall pick and their fourth-round pick (No. 102 overall) to move up to No. 29, where they take Mitchell.
The Patriots could make it work if they select Texas’ Xavier Worthy, Georgia’s Ladd McConkey or Oregon’s Troy Franklin, but they really need an “X” wide receiver with star potential. The current players on their roster who could fill that “X” role are Kayshon Boutte and Jalen Reagor. They need to do better. They currently have Kendrick Bourne, DeMario Douglas, K.J. Osborn, Tyquan Thornton and JuJu Smith-Schuster to play the “Z” or slot roles.
Mitchell has prototypical size at 6-foot-2, 205 pounds and ran a blazing 4.34-second 40-yard dash at the combine. It’s not worth taking the risk that he won’t be there at the top of the second round. The Patriots’ next best options in the draft would be somewhat redundant with the current pieces on the roster.
There’s a belief that free-agent signing Chukwuma Okorafor could play left tackle if needed. But the Patriots need to swing for the fences to find their left tackle of the future.
Amegadjie is athletic and has a crazy seven-foot-plus wingspan. Similar to Maye, he could potentially sit to start the season behind Okorafor until he’s ready.
If Amegadjie can start right away, then the Patriots would also have the option to play Okorafor at right tackle and kick Mike Onwenu inside to right guard, though that seems unlikely at this point. Onwenu is viewed as an option to play tackle by the team’s new offensive coaching staff.
If the Patriots can come out of the first three picks with a potential starter at quarterback, wide receiver and left tackle, they should be feeling great.
The Patriots need more size and speed at cornerback, and Pritchett can provide it at 6 feet, 190 pounds with a 4.36-second 40-yard dash. He was a four-year contributor in the SEC and let up just four touchdowns in five seasons at Auburn.
Pritchett allowed 12 catches on 26 targets for 134 yards with a touchdown and interception as a senior. The Patriots could start Christian Gonzalez and Jonathan Jones on the outside with Marcus Jones in the slot. But though Jonathan Jones has played outside for years now, he is still best utilized in the slot.
Glaze started at both right and left tackle for the Terrapins. He also could potentially kick inside to guard, where the Patriots need more bodies behind potential starters Cole Strange and Sidy Sow.
But it’s smart to take multiple swings at a tackle in this year’s draft. Glaze allowed just three sacks and 14 total pressures in 2023.
Let’s take another swing at a wide receiver too. Johnson is a big target who was a three-year starter at Michigan and ran a 4.44-second 40-yard dash.
The 6-foot-3, 212-pound wideout caught 138 passes for 2,038 yards with 14 touchdowns in five college seasons.
Rogers is a space-eater at 6-foot-3, 330 pounds. He would come with the potential to back up Davon Godchaux in the middle of the Patriots’ defense at nose tackle.