The hours continue to tick down to the start of the NFL draft. With the impending start of Thursday’s draft, insiders were all over the media discussing all the possibilities and potential outcomes or directions the draft could go.
While there still remains a lack of consensus about the order the quarterback prospects get drafted after Caleb Williams, there was an interesting cohesion of messaging about what the New England Patriots do at No. 3 overall.
Leading up to the draft, New England has been the favorite to trade out of its top spot in order to acquire more draft capital to fill the plethora of holes on its roster. Minnesota has been considered the favorite to move up due to having multiple first-round picks this year after acquiring No. 23 overall from the Houston Texans.
That might not be the case though.
Notable NFL insiders Albert Breer (Sports Illustrated), Adam Schefter (ESPN) and Daniel Jeremiah and Peter Schrager (NFL Network) all said at various points Monday that New England is likely to stay at the No. 3 selection now.
Breer said in a segment on NBC Sports Boston that “it’s pretty unlikely” that the Patriots move out of their spot. He went on to speculate that the New York Giants and Vikings were the two teams interested in New England’s pick.
According to Breer’s speculation, the Giants wouldn’t be able to “move the needle enough” for the Patriots while the Vikings feel comfortable with multiple QB options, so much so that they don’t feel the need to give up a haul to move up to No. 3.
"I think it's pretty unlikely [the Patriots will trade down]"@AlbertBreer & @GregABedard share what they're hearing about the Patriots a few days out from the NFL Draft pic.twitter.com/dCkeMfrgej
— Patriots Coverage on NBCS Boston (@NBCSPatriots) April 22, 2024
Schefter joined The Pat McAfee Show Monday and said the Patriots “will listen” to offers, but that the “odds favor them staying” at the top of the draft.
"The Patriots are gonna listen to offers but I still think the odds favor them staying at number three..
It's up to a team this week to change the Patriots mind and that could happen" @AdamSchefter #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/lwD1C7cd7L
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) April 22, 2024
Jeremiah later told McAfee that “there’s not a strong willingness for those teams picking one, two, three to move.”
"The Raiders have done a lot of work on Michael Penix..
I would say the teams with the most willingness to move up in order would be Vikings, Raiders then Broncos" @MoveTheSticks #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/KxeUTt6mkU
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) April 22, 2024
Schrager said he’s hearing the Patriots “really like Jayden Daniels and really like Drake Maye.” In order to land either of those two, New England would need to stay at No. 3.
“That is the feeling around the league that the Patriots … are still most likely going quarterback at third overall,” Schrager said.
The #NFLDraft is just 3 days away! Here are 5 things @PSchrags is hearing leading up to Thursday đź‘‚
đź“·: GMFB LIVE for the 2024 #NFLDraft
Thursday – Saturday 7-10am ET on @nflnetwork pic.twitter.com/eGTBjtP4ZL— Good Morning Football (@gmfb) April 22, 2024
Now is this all just one big smokescreen by the Patriots’ front office to up the package they can get in the days leading up to the draft? Only time will tell.
