2024 NFL Draft: Prospects Patriots fans should get familiar with as New England gets set to pick 3rd

FOXBORO, Mass. — The New England Patriots hold eight selections in the 2024 NFL Draft, including the third overall pick in the opening round.

When the draft opens Thursday at 8 p.m., teams selecting in the first round will have 10 minutes per selection. The draft consists of seven rounds with a total of 257 selections.

New England holds the following picks:

• Round 1: 3rd overall
• Round 2: 34th overall
• Round 3: 68th overall
• Round 4: 103rd overall
• Round 5: 137th overall
• Round 6: 180th overall
• Round 6: 193rd overall
• Round 7″ 231st overall

So how have teams drafting with the 3rd overall selection fared historically? The Arizona Cardinals drafted 11-time Pro Bowl WR Larry Fitzgerald in 2004, the Houston Texans drafted Pro Football Hall of Famer WR Andre Johnson in 2003, and the Detroit Lions drafted Pro Football Hall of Fame RB Barry Sanders in 1989, Patriots.com pointed out. Last year, elite edge rusher Will Anderson was drafted 3rd by the Texans.

The Patriots hold a potentially franchise-altering pick and a slew of blue-chip prospects will be available when they’re officially on the clock.

It’s been widely reported that the Chicago Bears intend to draft University of Southern California quarterback Caleb Williams with the first overall pick.

“The Bears’ intentions to draft Williams first overall have been known for so long, Williams to the Bears has been an overlooked story as everyone debates what will happen from the second pick on,” Yahoo Sports wrote in a recent article.

The Washington Commanders hold the second pick and Jayden Daniels, the 2023 Heisman Trophy winner from Louisiana State University is expected to be one of the top three players selected.

Many mock drafts have University of North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye going to the Patriots, but there is a chance Daniels is available when New England selects.

“We still need to see if Daniels or Maye will be the second pick, but it would be a surprise if either slipped past No. 3,” Yahoo Sports noted.

The Patriots are in desperate need of quarterback and wide receiver help. Wherever the chips may land, here are a few prospects Patriots fans should familiarize themselves with before the draft starts due to the possibility of them landing in Foxboro. (Analysis of each prospect is from the NFL’s official website.)

Jayden Daniels: QB, Louisiana State

With five seasons of starting experience under his belt, Daniels possesses a rare blend of playmaking talent and command from the pocket. He’s tall but slender, so there will be concerns about durability, considering how often he ran in college. However, teams must also recognize that he has no issues sitting in the pocket and working through progressions as a platform thrower with good mechanics and footwork. Daniels possesses the football intelligence to get himself protected and take care of the football with quality decision-making. He’s an accurate passer over the first two levels and throws with anticipation to slice and dice zone coverages. He had noticeable issues putting deep throws on faster receivers in stride, though. He lacks ideal size and arm talent, but he’s much more capable as a runner and passer than most of the quarterbacks who have moved on to the next level lately. Daniels is positioned to become a very good NFL starter in a spread-based passing attack.

Drake Maye, QB, North Carolina

Challenging evaluation with top-flight measurables and tools but inconsistencies that create a lower floor. Maye’s size and arm talent jump off the tape immediately. He can make every throw, but he will try to make throws that he shouldn’t have attempted. The gunslinger mentality creates a fearlessness that can turn into interceptions, but it will also allow him to win in tight windows and make splash throws that get crowds (and evaluators) on their feet. He leaves too many throws on the back shoulder or hip and needs to learn when to take some sauce off the throw to make it more catchable. There is an undeniable energy to Maye’s game that can create momentum or turn chaotic when plays come off-schedule for him. The combination of traits and tape make him a boom/bust prospect who might need patient management and coaching to help shepherd him toward his potential.

J.J. McCarthy, QB, Michigan

Enigmatic quarterback lacking the measurables and splash throws associated with early round quarterbacks but possessing elements that require more study and consideration. McCarthy lacks frame thickness and a plus arm. He’s fairly poised in the pocket but is average as a pocket passer. His ball placement and timing need to improve to help mitigate an average operation time due to a windup release. McCarthy doesn’t seek to play out of structure but is fairly consistent at making positive plays when it happens and ramps up his focus late in games and on third downs. He is confident and seems to have the ability to take slights and digest it as competitive fuel. McCarthy should continue to improve as a passer, but he fails to stand out in many of the areas that tend to be predictive of top-level success in the NFL.

Michael Penix Jr., QB, Washington

Penix will be a 24-year-old rookie with a history of season-ending injuries at Indiana and impressive production while at Washington. The Huskies’ offensive design helped declutter coverages for Penix, allowing him to throw a higher number of intermediate and deep passes. He plays with smart pocket mobility and a willingness to get rid of the football, which makes it difficult to sack him. His delivery is bundled and his release point is very low, but his monster game against Texas showed flashes of impeccable touch. Penix has plenty of arm but needs to work with more consistent timing between the numbers to eliminate unnecessary contested throws. He’s a pocket passer who was ineffective in 2023 when defenses were able to crank up the heat and make him move his feet. Playing in a shotgun-based spread attack might give him his best chance to succeed, but he needs to prove he can thrive outside of the Washington offense and stay free from injury.

Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Ohio State

Harrison comes from impressive NFL bloodlines and possesses similarities that made his father, Pro Football Hall of Famer Marvin Harrison, special. Harrison can run but isn’t a burner. What makes him tough to handle is his consistent play speed paired with quality salesmanship in his routes. He’s able to uncover no matter where he’s aligned or which part of the field his assignment takes him to, and he is capable of finishing catches in a crowd. Harrison can be sudden while working possession routes, and he’s well qualified to beat any opponent with his ball skills if the battle heads deep. Harrison is a touchdown champ with a variety of ways to excel, and that characteristic figures to follow him into the pros. He has the traits and tools to win in all three phases of the route and on all three levels of the field. He’s a pedigree prospect and a Day 1 starter with high-end production expected.

Malik Nabers, WR, Louisiana State

Nabers is the next big thing coming out of LSU’s receiver room, with the pure explosiveness and talent to be mentioned in the same breath as former LSU stars starring in the league today. Despite a lack of polish and precision as a route-runner, Nabers’ gliding movements and speed alterations seem to disguise the top-end speed and separation potential that await opposing coverages. He’s a bouncy leaper with the athletic ability to make the impossible catches possible. He tucks away accurate throws and displays the toughness and play strength to fight for tight-window victories over the middle. Nabers will need to address his tendency to track and play deep throws with finesse, or his early advantages will turn into 50/50 battles. He can play all three receiver spots and has the profile to become a productive, high-volume target over all three levels as a potential WR1.

Rome Odunze, WR, Washington

A team captain with good size and elite ball skills, Odunze consistently dominated his competition. While most receivers look to open separation windows with speed or route running, Odunze seems to relish jump balls and contested catches. He shines in all aspects of ball skills, including positioning, body control, hand strength, timing and mid-air adjustments. He has a tendency to cruise through routes rather than working with attention to detail and pacing. He was a decorated high school sprinter, so speed should not be an issue in the pros. He’s a high-volume target on the next level that play-callers can utilize to mismatch finesse cornerbacks. Elite ball skills are often the secret sauce for top NFL receivers, so it should not surprise if Odunze is a Day 1 starter who becomes a top-flight WR1.

Joe Alt, OT, Notre Dame

Long-limbed team captain with NFL-quality tackle play coursing through his veins. Alt plays a disciplined brand of football, avoiding penalties and working with fluid transitions from entry to sustain to finish as a run blocker. Alt is a capable drive blocker with the foot quickness to play onto the second level. He struggles to bend enough to compensate for his height and ends up playing with waist-bending and forward lean that can hamper his anchor against bull-rushers. Alt has quick hands and outstanding arm extension, promoting his ability to sustain blocks and redirect pass-rushers. He’s a good technician who carries himself with confidence from snap to snap. Alt clearly has the talent to become a Day 1 starter on the left side, but he’ll need to clean up his habit of leaning forward, or he could be in for some bumpy action early on.

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