Volin: Jonathan Kraft wants a quarterback

Ben Volin of The Boston Globe joined Felger and Mazz from Radio Row on Tuesday to discuss the latest with the New England Patriots. While on, Volin talked about the Patriots having the 3rd overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft and the sense that he's getting on how they'll use the pick.

Are the Patriots going to take a quarterback with the 3rd overall pick? 

Felger: We were discussing the Patriots at number three overall, what's your sense there?

Ben Volin: My sense is quarterback. I don't think Jerod Mayo was speaking out of turn when he kind of went on these interviews and kind of hinted at what they were going to do. I will say, look, obviously at number three, if you want to draft a quarterback go with God. By all accounts, you need a quarterback. If you don't consider Marvin Harrison it would be organizational malpractice. I think there's a lot to be said for Marvin Harrison at three. Figure out the quarterback later, whether it's a bridge year with a veteran or you could draft a kid in the third round, there's not as much pressure. I think there's a lot to be said for that model. So look, if they want Jayden Daniels, if Drake Maye drops to them at number three, great. But they really need to consider Marvin Harrison.

Felger: When I ask you, you say quarterback. Is that you saying that or is that what you gleaned from the organization?

Ben Volin: I've been told that Jonathan really wants a quarterback. And I think Jerod Mayo is probably leaning in that direction mean and they need one. And they've never had the opportunity to get one this high since Drew Bledsoe 30 years ago.

Felger: So you're saying Director of Player Personnel Jonathan Kraft is leaning quarterback?

Ben Volin: Well, I do tend to think he might have his finger on the button with that particular pick.

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Over the last week, we've been publishing individual scouting reports on the top quarterbacks who will be in the 2024 NFL Draft (those can be found here, or in links below). Now, it's time to put them in order with the first edition of our 2024 quarterback rankings.

The pre-draft process for the 2024 NFL Draft truly kicks off this week, with the Shrine Bowl and Senior Bowl - the two marquee showcase college football all-star games. That's the beginning of a rapid three-month process that also includes the NFL Combine, pro days, team interviews and more.

A lot will happen over the next three months. During that time though, it's important to remember that the biggest gauge of how good a prospect is at football is what they did on the football field. Things will happen over the next three months that tweak players' projections, but a lot of it will be sorting out players who project close together rather than wholesale changes to the board.

That's especially true at the quarterback position, where projections have at least three and as many as six players going in the first round. There's sorting out to do within that group, but it continues down the board. After those six quarterbacks, none are projected to go in the top 100. Will any prospects further down the board establish themselves as true Day 2 options?

As that process begins, the board has to start somewhere. Who are the top passers right now, and who has the most to gain between now and when the draft begins in late April? Here's a look at my 2024 quarterback rankings as they stand coming out of the 2023 college football season. As the pre-draft process goes on, we'll update the board as needed, but any change to the No. 1 spot would be a massive surprise...

Williams possesses all the traits teams look for in a modern quarterback. He’s the kind of QB that can instantly elevate an offense, but will need to do more in-structure at the next level. If put in the right situation and system he has a real chance to be a perennial MVP candidate.

Projection: Top pick

Full scouting report here (including stats strengths, weaknesses, and player comps)

Daniels is an elite athlete at the quarterback position, but that’s hardly his whole game. He’s improved significantly as a passer his two years at LSU. He’ll need to work on his short game, and durability will be a question due to his frame, but he has the big-play potential – both as a passer and runner – that NFL teams covet. That top-tier athleticism and big play potential give him the slight edge for second place in our rankings.

Projection: Top 5 pick

Full scouting report here

Maye has a chance to be an electric playmaker in the NFL. The biggest question is how some of the out-of-structure risks he took at UNC - with his arm and with his legs - will translate from the ACC to the pro game. He’ll be best in a system that prioritizes big plays and is O.K. risking turnovers to get them.

Projection: Top 3 pick

Full scouting report here

Penix stacks up against any quarterback in this class as a pure passer. But concerns about his injury history and a lack of ceiling due to his age will push him down the board. The question is, how much?

Projection: 1st round pick

Full scouting report here

There’s a lot to like about Nix’s game as a conductor, but it’s fair to question whether or not he’ll be able to elevate an NFL offense. He’d be best in a Shanahan-style or Reid-style system that features a lot of play action, rollout, and RPO concepts.

Projection: Top 40 pick

Full scouting report here

If you feel strongly about McCarthy’s standing as a prospect – one way or the other – you’re probably kidding yourself. There’s just not close to enough high-impact reps on tape to fully evaluate where he’s at as a player relative to most quarterback prospects. He certainly has upside, especially with his young age and athleticism, but he still needs time to develop.

Whatever team drafts him will need to have a strong development plan in place, and a willingness to be patient. A team that has a veteran (read: old) starter in place but will need a new quarterback in a year or two would be the best landing spot for him, setting up a Patrick Mahomes/Jordan Love type development path (not a player comp, more of a ‘path to starting’ comp).

Projection: Day 2 pick

Full scouting report here

It's impossible to oversell Milton's arm strength. They call him 'Bazooka Joe' for a reason - he can throw the ball more than half of the length of the field without having to incorporate his lower body at all (look what happens when he steps into a throw). He's not afraid to use his arm to test any window. However, the ball gets away from him leading to inconsistent accuracy (in part due to his mechanics and in part because he will almost always zip the ball even when a touch pass is called for), and he'll spray fastballs all over the field.  As a runner, he's a handful in the open field on a scramble - he's not afraid to initiate contact at 6-foot-5, 235 pounds - but he doesn't have as much success on designed QB runs.

Overall Milton is an intriguing project player. But given that he turns 24 in early March, the project will have to be quick to maximize his physical gifts.

Projection: Early Day 3

Pratt is an experienced passer who dominated AAC competition over the last four years at Tulane. He made a total of 44 starts, making him one of the more experienced quarterbacks in this draft. He can pick a defense apart from the pocket and excels off play-action, but lacks the top-end arm strength or athleticism that will allow him to make plays when things break down around him. Right now he looks like the kind of low-level starter/high-level backup quarterback that goes often early on Day 3.

Projection: Early Day 3

Rattler wasn't just a five-star prospect, but one of the most anticipated high school quarterbacks in recent history. An Elite11 MVP, he was the top-ranked quarterback in his class, directly ahead of Jayden Daniels and Bo Nix. He won the starting job at Oklahoma as a redshirt freshman, but lost the job the next year to Caleb Williams despite starting the season as the preseason Heisman favorite. That led to him transferring to South Carolina, where he played well but didn't live up to the hype he had coming out of high school. If a team thinks they can tap into that potential six years later, then Rattler makes sense as a project quarterback.

Projection: Middle Day 3

Travis was having an excellent 2023 season and shooting up draft boards before suffering a severe undisclosed lower leg injury. Before the injury Travis showed skill as a creator both his arm and his legs, although his mobility moving forward will be a subject of question after his injury. Further complicating things is the fact that he turns 24 in May, meaning he probably won't step onto an NFL field until he's 25.

Last year, Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker had a great season before tearing his ACL late in the year. As a 26-year-old rookie Hooker was still third-round pick by the Detroit Lions, a move that probably sets Travis' ceiling - although Hooker was a higher-regarded prospect prior to the injury. Clearing medical testing at the Combine was key for Hooker, and will be something to watch with Travis come late February.

Projection: Middle Day 3

Alex Barth is a writer and digital producer for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Thoughts? Comments? Questions? Looking for a podcast guest? Let him know on Twitter @RealAlexBarth or via email at abarth@985TheSportsHub.com.