Tom Brady just wrapped up his 18th season in spectacular fashion by winning his sixth Super Bowl championship. Brady didn’t seem to lose a step this season even though he is 41 years old and supposed to be in the twilight of his career.
His numbers in 2018 were not his best by any means, but he still finished seventh in passing yards (4,355), ninth in passing attempts (570), and 10th in touchdowns thrown (29). He took home league MVP honors last season and led the Patriots to the Super Bowl for the third consecutive season.
Tom could easily play a couple of more seasons if he chooses, but it’s time for New England to draft Brady’s successor. By drafting a replacement for Brady this year, the Patriots will have at least one season, if not more, to prep the young QB for his eventual takeover.
Duke quarterback Daniel Jones is the perfect candidate to take over for Tom Brady when he eventually decides to step away from the game. Jones is 6-foot-5, 220-pounds, and was a three-year starter at Duke after entering the program as a walk-on.
He made 36 starts while at Duke and ended his career with 8,201 passing yards, 52 touchdowns, and 29 interceptions. His 1,323 rushing yards and 17 rushing touchdowns prove he also has the ability to use his legs to beat the opposition. Jones is an accurate passer that is able to quickly read defenses and use his eyes to manipulate the coverage. He is also showed just how tough he is when he broke his collar bone versus Northwestern early in 2018 and was able to get back on the field a mere 20 days later.
Jones finished off his playing career at Duke by throttling the Temple Owls 56-27, in the Walk-On’s Independence Bowl. Jones threw for 423 yards and threw for five touchdowns. He also added a one-yard touchdown run for a total of six touchdowns. His performance landed him a late invitation to this year’s Senior Bowl.
He struggled during the Senior Bowl practice week when he was picked off twice in 7-on-7 drills. He was largely overshadowed by fellow quarterback Drew Lock during the practice week, but come game time, Jones flipped the script and outshined Lock when it mattered most. Jones was an efficient 8 of 11 on his passes and threw for 115 yards. He led an 84-yard touchdown drive that he capped off by running the ball in from the one-yard line. Shortly after his touchdown run, he threw a 19-yard touchdown to give the North the lead. Jones’ impressive performance helped him earn the game’s MVP honors.
Daniel Jones gave the NFL scouts quality tape from the Senior Bowl to watch while evaluating prospects prior to the NFL Combine, but one of his best attributes may be his coach. David Cutcliffe is a highly respected college coach who is responsible for turning around a down-trodden Duke program. He is largely trusted as someone who can successfully develop quarterbacks since he had a huge hand in the success of Peyton and Eli Manning. He was Peyton’s QB coach and offensive coordinator at Tennessee, and he was Eli’s head coach while at Ole Miss. Because of the connection with Cutcliffe, Daniel Jones has had the opportunity to be a counselor at the Manning Passing Academy and has a close relationship with the brothers.
The Manning brothers are known to be students of the game and take pride in their preparation for their opponents. Jones is soaking up knowledge from both bothers and learning how to emulate what makes the Mannings tick.
When asked about his relationship with Peyton and Eli during Senior Bowl interviews, Jones stated, “People are interested in my connection with Peyton and Eli and how they have helped me and I am certainly willing to share that,” he says. “I think those guys have impacted the way I prepared and made an impression on how important preparing is.”
David Cutcliffe certainly thinks highly of Jones’ ability to process information and properly prepare for an opponent.
“We spend a lot of time in the classroom,” says Cutcliffe. “One of the reasons our guys will succeed is they know the work ethic, they know the study, they know the amount of time it takes to prepare, and Daniel is tremendous from the neck up.”
Mel Kiper Jr. has Jones ranked as his third-best quarterback on his big board and No. 25 overall prospect. Jones’ draft stock is bound to fluctuate from now until the draft depending on how he performs at the combine and during his pro-day. He may not be on the board when the Patriots are on the clock at No. 32. The question will be if New England will be all-in on Jones and be willing to trade up or cross their fingers and hope he falls to the end of the first round.
There’s no guarantee that New England will even be willing to draft a quarterback anywhere in the first round. The Patriots last selected a quarterback in the first round back in 1993 when they picked Drew Bledsoe No. 1 overall. Tom Brady will be 42 by the time next season kicks off, so now is the time to take action and find his replacement. After all, Father Time is the only one Tom Brady cannot defeat.
