With the third overall pick looming in the upcoming 2024 NFL Draft, the prevailing belief has been that the New England Patriots would opt for a quarterback to address the team’s concerning downward trend. For quite some time, Patriots fans have been anticipating USC QB and former Heisman Trophy recipient Caleb Williams to be chosen first overall by the Chicago Bears. Subsequently, the expectation has been for New England to choose between LSU’s Heisman winner Jayden Daniels or North Carolina’s signal caller Drake Maye as their quarterback of the future.
There’s been a notable surge in speculation linking Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy to the New England Patriots, which hasn’t thrilled Patriots fans. Over the past few weeks, there’s been a growing chorus of insiders suggesting that the Patriots might value McCarthy more highly than previously thought. Initially met with skepticism, this buzz has prompted some commentators to reconsider their earlier dismissal of the idea that McCarthy could be selected within the top three picks.
Following McCarthy’s pro day, Scott Zolak, former Patriots quarterback turned radio color commentator and co-host of Zolak & Bertrand on 98.5 The Sports Hub, offered a “retraction” for his previous critiques of McCarthy. Zolak, with his extensive connections from his playing days and current analyst role, acknowledged his past skepticism and hinted on Wednesday that it “wouldn’t be surprising” if the Patriots did indeed select McCarthy with the third overall pick.
Michael Holley of NBC Sports Boston has added fuel to this narrative, suggesting on Tuesday that McCarthy could potentially be at the top of New England’s list of preferred quarterbacks.
“There’s a really good chance he could wind up on the New England Patriots. I’m hearing more and more chatter that J.J. McCarthy is high, if not first, on the boards of the Washington Commanders and the New England Patriots. He may be QB1 for both of those teams.”
Senior NFL reporter Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports has echoed Holley’s reporting, suggesting that the Patriots might view McCarthy as their top-ranked quarterback, even ahead of Caleb Williams. McCarthy’s status as a prospect has been divisive, with critics pointing to the talented team surrounding him at Michigan and labeling him a “system quarterback.” At the outset of last season, McCarthy wasn’t even ranked among the top 50 NFL Draft prospects. Thus, the emergence of McCarthy as a dark horse candidate for the third overall pick has not been warmly received by the New England fanbase, who had largely considered the selection to be a choice between Maye and Daniels.
NBC Sports Boston recently conducted several polls to gauge Patriots fans’ sentiments regarding McCarthy. In one poll asking fans which quarterback, excluding Caleb Williams, they most wanted the Patriots to draft, Drake Maye led with 56% of the vote, followed by Jayden Daniels with 21%. McCarthy came in third with 13% of the vote, while Michael Penix Jr. received 8%, and Bo Nix garnered only 2%.
In another poll, fans were asked whom the Patriots should draft at #3 if Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels were selected 1-2. Drake Maye was favored once more, receiving 62% of the vote, while J.J. McCarthy garnered 38%.
While there may be a growing inclination within the Patriots organization to consider McCarthy with the third overall pick, it appears that Patriots fans are not yet fully sold on the idea.