Belichick was eyeing this QB at top of draft before leaving Pats

Jayden Daniels. SCOTT CLAUSE/USA TODAY Network / USA TODAY NETWORK

Bill Belichick had this QB at top of Patriots draft board before getting fired

By Michael Gallagher | Last updated 2/28/24

The New England Patriots are likely to kick off the Jerod Mayo era by taking a quarterback with the No. 3 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Though it’s not known which of the top three signal callers the Patriots favor, it’s possible the team is leaning toward the same QB that former head coach Bill Belichick was eyeing — LSU’s Jayden Daniels.

“Bill Belichick loved Jayden Daniels,” NFL Network’s Bridget Condon said. “He was a guy on the top of their draft board. He was going to do everything in his power to try and get that guy. Does Jerod Mayo stick with that and say, ‘OK, we’re going to figure out how we get this quarterback in here,’ or is he going to say, ‘You know what, I’m the new man in charge and we’re going to do things my way.’”

#LSU Heisman Trophy winning QB Jayden Daniels spent yesterday and today at the Combine meeting with teams such as the #Bears, #Commanders, #Vikings, #Jets, #Giants, #Patriots, #Raiders, #Seahawks and #Saints.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 28, 2024

The Patriots have already met with Daniels along with Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy, Oregon’s Bo Nix and North Carolina’s Drake Maye at the NFL Combine, and they were slated to meet with USC’s Caleb Williams on Wednesday night.

The 23-year-old Daniels had a breakout season in 2023, throwing for 3,812 yards, 40 touchdowns and four interceptions while rushing for an additional 1,134 yards and 10 touchdowns. He won the Heisman Trophy, Davey O’Brien Award, Walter Camp Player of the Year Award and was voted the Associated Press Player of the Year.

Whether it’s Daniels or any of the draft’s other signal-callers, the Patriots are expected to move on from Mac Jones. The 15th overall pick in 2021, Jones regressed this season, throwing for a career-low 2,120 yards, 10 touchdowns and 12 interceptions while going 2-9 as the team’s starter.

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