Tony Pauline, consulting editor at Sportskeeda and NFL Draft analyst, reports that the New England Patriots have played a significant role in elevating Michigan Wolverines quarterback J.J. McCarthy to a highly-regarded prospect ahead of the draft’s commencement on April 25.
According to Pauline, who updated his mock draft on Tuesday, the Patriots are considering selecting McCarthy with the third overall pick, despite his reservations about McCarthy being a top-10 selection.
Pauline notes that Eliot Wolf, effectively the Patriots’ general manager, is actively advocating for McCarthy, believing in his potential to match any other quarterback in this draft class.
McCarthy’s surge in draft stock has been a prominent topic during the NFL offseason. Recent discussions even suggest that McCarthy could be chosen ahead of other notable quarterbacks like North Carolina Tar Heels’ Drake Maye, potentially becoming the second quarterback drafted after Caleb Williams of the USC Trojans.
If Williams is indeed selected by the Chicago Bears as anticipated, the Washington Commanders could opt for McCarthy, Maye, or LSU’s Jayden Daniels with the second overall pick.
While some speculate that the Patriots might trade the third selection to accumulate assets for their rebuild, there are consistent reports, such as those from beat writer Chris Mason of MassLive, suggesting that New England is keen on selecting a quarterback at No. 3.
In various mock drafts, analysts like Ryan Wilson and Chris Trapasso of CBS Sports predict different scenarios for the Patriots’ selection.
Wilson suggests that the Minnesota Vikings could trade up from the 11th pick to acquire McCarthy at fifth overall, while Trapasso believes the Denver Broncos might make a move to secure McCarthy as the fourth overall pick.
The Patriots parted ways with their 2021 first-round pick, Mac Jones, and signed veteran quarterback Jacoby Brissett during the offseason.
While Brissett could potentially start over a rookie like McCarthy, it’s expected that new Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo would offer any first-year pro taken with the third pick a chance to compete for the starting quarterback position during the summer.
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