On draft night, the New England Patriots will face a significant choice. They can opt to pick the top quarterback available, acquire Marvin Harrison Jr. to strengthen their offense, or trade down to secure two early picks for a talented QB and WR combo.
Presently, the majority of mock drafts predict that the Patriots will select Jayden Daniels from LSU. However, with Caleb Williams and Drake Maye already taken, Daniels’ size poses a significant problem for NFL scouts assessing his potential at the combine.
At the NFL combine in Indianapolis, Patriots insider Phil Perry shared insights from scouts about Jayden Daniels on NBC Sports Boston’s Early Edition. According to Perry, scouts are concerned about Daniels’ weight and how it will affect his ability to run effectively under pressure. Standing at 6-foot-3 and weighing around 200 pounds, Daniels’ wiry build may not hold up well at the NFL level. Despite this, Daniels has proven to be a talented quarterback during his time at LSU, with good pocket presence and accuracy downfield. He also excels at becoming mobile when pressured, either through throwing on the run or scrambling for positive yards. In his final year at LSU, Daniels threw for 3,812 yards with a 72.2 percent completion rate, 40 touchdowns, and only four interceptions. He also rushed for an impressive 1,134 yards and 10 touchdowns on just 135 attempts.
According to team executive Eliot Wolf, Daniels fits the bill of what the Patriots are looking for in a quarterback. Perry suggests that if the Patriots truly believe Daniels is their guy, they should consider moving up to guarantee his selection. However, Perry acknowledges that this may be difficult if the Bears or Commanders are also looking to draft a quarterback. Perry notes that Daniels has a quiet confidence and swag, which helped him connect with his LSU teammates after transferring from Arizona State. The Patriots have already met with Daniels at the combine and have also met with other QB prospects, including Williams, Maye, J.J. McCarthy, and Bo Nix.
