5 potential day 2 quarterbacks for the Patriots in the 2021 draft

Author Matt Dolloff

March 8th, 2021 12:20 PM

There are as many as five highly touted quarterbacks who should be taken in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft. But what about the next five?

It’s important for followers of quarterback-needy teams in to know the second tier of quarterback prospects, in addition to the first. The Patriots are certainly one of the most QB-starved teams in the National Football League, and at the same time their No. 15 overall pick may be just out of reach to land one of the top-5 prospects.

At the same time, it’s unlikely that Bill Belichick would trade way up in the first round to draft one of the bigger names at quarterback. And there’s virtually zero chance he’d be able to get Trevor Lawrence or Zach Wilson, who are commonly projected to go 1-2 to the Jaguars and Jets. So unless Belichick truly believes Justin Fields, Trey Lance, or Mac Jones is without question his guy for the next decade, don’t expect the Patriots to be that aggressive.

Philosophically, it’s much more likely Belichick views quarterback similarly to he does any other position, with a focus on value and his ability to get the most out of a player as a coach. The odds are far greater that Belichick would look at the second tier of QB prospects and believe he can get the same, if not better production out of them than one of the higher-rated guys.

This philosophy is what landed Belichick on Jimmy Garoppolo at the 62nd pick in the 2014 draft, while bigger-name prospects Blake Bortles (3rd), Johnny Manziel (22nd), and Teddy Bridgewater (32nd) were all overdrafted, and Derek Carr went 36th to the Raiders. Garoppolo is the only player on this list to have played in a Super Bowl, and was a clear fit in his first stint with the Patriots.

For these reasons, do not be surprised if Belichick passes on the top tier of QBs in the first round, in favor of help on defense or on the offensive line. And then there’s a good chance he’d have his pick of the guy he wants when the Pats select again at 47th. Belichick is always good for a surprise, so maybe this is the year he actually does trade up. But standing pat is a safer bet.

Of course, there’s a reason that all the quarterbacks on this list are considered Day 2 picks (rounds 2-3) at best. And a couple of them may not even go until Day 3. They are all imperfect prospects, whether it be physical limitations or a lack of experience. So ideally, the Patriots wouldn’t have to play their pick until his second season at the earliest. But most of them will for sure be available in the second or third round if Belichick wants to take his guy at that spot.

Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Russell Wilson, and Dak Prescott are proof that franchise quarterbacks can still be found in the second round or later. So while Belichick would be getting a less NFL-ready prospect who needs more time than others to develop, don’t rule out that he unearths a gem of a talent.

• Kyle Trask, Florida

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  Trask has prototypical size at 6-foot-5 and projects as an accurate and productive pocket passer at the NFL level. One of the big knocks on him is his lack of mobility, which will hinder his chances to improvise when plays break down like many other QBs can do in the modern NFL. So Trask will need to excel as a pure pocket passer to be a good long-term starter. But the tools and the potential are there.

• Jamie Newman, Georgia

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  Newman was a Bulldog in name only. He transferred to Georgia for his senior year after three seasons at Wake Forest, but ended up opting out of the 2020 season. He had some impressive moments during Senior Bowl week, though, and met with all 32 teams. Fair or not, Newman's decision to opt out will be held against him. But whoever drafts him will get a QB with good size (6-foot-4) and the physical tools to be a legitimate dual threat. He'll need time to develop since he's behind other prospects in that regard.

• Kellen Mond, Texas A&M

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  Mond's name came up in the news cycle recently, after noted contrarian Chris Simms put him in his top-5 QB prospects heading into the draft. Most other analysts project Mond as a third or fourth-rounder at best, mainly due to his inconsistency with his accuracy and mechanics during his time in college. He doesn't sound like a Belichick type of QB, but Mond's size and athletic ability give him a chance to be molded into something down the road.
• Davis Mills, Stanford

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  Mills is another pocket passer who lacks the ideal mobility of the modern prototype for a franchise quarterback. He also played only two seasons as a starter in college. These factors should keep Mills in the late day 2-early day 3 range at the draft, and a huge Pro Day might be his only way out of that. But Mills' short-to-intermediate accuracy does make him a Belichick type of prospect, in theory. In the right situation, there's potential for Mills to become something better than his draft stock.

• Shane Buechele, SMU

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  Belichick may like Buechele because he's demonstrated good accuracy and decision-making running the SMU offense. His high football I.Q. may allow him to at least carve out a nice, long career as a backup. The problem is Buechele lacks ideal size (6-foot-1), arm strength, and athleticism for the position at the highest level. So his accuracy, ball security, and command of the offense will have to be impeccable for him to sustain a career as a legit starter. And it's why he could end up going on Day 3 instead of Day 2. But he's a name to know for the Patriots.

MORE: Barth’s Patriots Mock Draft 1.0

• Round 1 Pick 15: Trade

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  This trade makes sense for the Patriots because quality will be as important as quantity in this year’s draft. Yes, they move down 10 spots in the first round, but go up 49 spots from the third to second round, and 40 spots from the sixth to the fourth round. On top of that, there is absolutely no chance Bill Belichick keeps the Tom Brady comp pick, which is the third-rounder used here. He won’t allow Brady’s departure to be tied to one single player. If you thought the Jimmy Garoppolo trade tree was wild, just wait.

• Round 1 Pick 25: QB Mac Jones, Alabama

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  Will the Patriots give Mac Jones the thumbs up on draft night? The Alabama signal caller is a high floor option who can facilitate an offense - assuming they use their bounty of cap space to vastly improve the talent around him.

• Round 2 Pick 46: LB Chazz Surratt, North Carolina

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  The Patriots seem to have an affinity for players who changed positions during their college career (Jakobi Meyers, J.C. Jackson). Chazz Surratt is a quarterback-turned-linebacker who could fill Dont'a Hightower's role one day if they coach him up right.
• Round 2 Pick 47: Trade

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  Once again, the Patriots move down to move up. By dropping five spots in the second round, they turn the second-to-last pick in this year’s fourth round into what should be an early-to-middle fourth round pick in 2022. That also recoups the future pick they gave up in the Jacksonville trade.

• Round 2 Pick 52: DL Marvin Wilson, Florida State

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  The Patriots have a solid history with big yet athletic defensive linemen from ACC Florida schools, and Marvin Wilson fits that description. He moves surprisingly well given his 6-foot-3, 319 pound frame, which allows him to be effective in both 3-4 and 4-3 fronts. If he can learn to use his feet as effectively as he uses his hands, he can be a three-down problem for opposing offenses.

• Round 3 Pick 74: Trade

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  Bill Belichick rarely lets major gaps pass without making a pick. 52 to 106 is too much of a break, so the Patriots use a future asset to jump back into the third round, and pick up a bonus top-100 pick.
• Round 3 Pick 74: WR Jaelon Darden, North Texas

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  Jaelon Darden does most of his damage with yards after the catch, once telling a TV crew, “Making someone miss is like waking up in the morning and brushing my teeth…I gotta do it every day,” and “slow feet don’t eat.” He matches his twitch and elite footwork with explosiveness out of his cuts, which results in plays where he weaves his way between defenders as he gets downfield. The Patriots need a receiver who can do damage with the ball in his hands, wherever he has it on the field.

• Round 4 Pick 106: T James Hudson, Cincinnati

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  James Hudson was originally recruited to Michigan as a defensive lineman, but switched to offense after transferring to Cincinnati. He's still raw when it comes to technique, but has a ton of physical upside. The Patriots have a history of turning those kinds of project linemen into starting-caliber players.

• Round 4 Pick 139: S Richard LeCounte III, Georgia

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  A consensus first-round pick this time last year, a dirt bike accident in October has teams thinking twice about Richard LeCounte. While the details of the incident aren't public, teams will do their digging. Any who are willing to look past it will get a highly intelligent safety and strong leader on and off the field.
• Round 5 Pick 160: EDGE Elerson Smith, Northern Iowa

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  The Patriots hit on a non-FBS pick last year when they took Kyle Dugger. Could they do it again with Elerson Smith? The Northern Iowa pass rusher is starting to build his frame for the NFL, and showed at the Senior Bowl that he can keep up with top-level talent.

• Round 6 Pick 201: TE Tre’ McKitty, Georgia/Florida State

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  Tre' McKitty doesn't do any one thing great, but he's good at everything, especially after refining his blocking ability last year at Georgia. He'd probably be a higher pick in a weaker tight end class (see: 2020), so this could be a chance for the Patriots to take advantage and grab a solid player with some value.

• For the full Patriots Mock Draft 1.0, click below.

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  For a full breakdown of any of the players listed above, click here.

MORE: Patriots trade up for QB in Mel Kiper’s first mock draft

Matt Dolloff is a writer and podcaster for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Have a news tip, question, or comment for Matt? Yell at him on Twitter @mattdolloff and follow him on Instagram @mattydsays. You can also email him at [email protected].

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Author Matt Dolloff

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2021 patriots offseason,New England Patriots,nfl draft,Patriots Quarterbacks