For Tom Brady and his retirement, it’s not a matter of if, it’s a matter of when.
Brady continues to fight father time with his alternative training methods—which reportedly caused conflict within the organization—and his healthy diet. However, his age will surely catch up to him, which begs the question, who is Brady’s successor?
As of now, there is only one back up in Foxboro and that’s journeyman Brian Hoyer. After trading Jimmy Garropolo and Jacoby Brissett last season, the Patriots must look to the upcoming draft class to find a viable replacement for Brady.
The big names such as Baker Mayfield, Josh Allen, Josh Rosen, and Lamar Jackson won’t be on the board by the time the Patriots’ first pick comes around. However, the likes of Oklahoma State’s Mason Rudolph and Washington State’s Luke Faulk will be ripe for the picking.
Rudolph brings size and experience to the table along with the astounding numbers he put up. Scout’s are questioning whether the players around him are a fog and mirrors, which makes Rudolph look better than he actually is.
Faulk is a former walk-on and broke all sorts of school and conference records. He can best be compared to now Redskins quarterback Alex Smith. He’s very smart with great accuracy, but his arm strength and slim frame raise a few eyebrows on whether or not he is durable enough for the next level. Smith was able to put those questions to bed with impeccable performances with the 49ers and the Chiefs.
Richmond’s Kyle Lauletta is a viable option as well. Although he has flown under the radar, his performance at the Senior Bowl kept his head above water among the elite aforementioned quarterbacks.
Lauletta has similar traits to Garropolo and abides by the do your job philosophy. He’s coachable and possesses plenty of potential to be the future of an organization, and he just might fall into the laps of the ever waiting New England Patriots.
If there is any time to harvest the crops, it is now, and the 2018 quarterback draft class is prime for the picking.
