Who would’ve thought that the New England Patriots would suddenly become desperate for a quarterback?
Everybody knew that Tom Brady wasn’t going to play forever, but the concept that his departure from New England would be anything aside from retirement seemed like a bit of a farce. However, that farce became a reality when the soon-to-be 43-year-old quarterback agreed in principle on a deal that would send him to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
As a result, the Patriots’ quarterback room is taken up by second-year Auburn product, Jarrett Stidham, as well as former Browns third-round pick Cody Kessler, who spent the majority of 2019 on the practice squad.
Could Bill Belichick, Josh McDaniels, and co. truly walk into the 2020 season with this quarterback tandem?
It’s all but certain that the Patriots will address the situation, just not with an upper-echelon talent. Whether that be taking a flier on somebody like Andy Dalton, or simply signing a veteran to back up Stidham, New England needs to figure something out soon.
Knowing what we know, it makes perfect sense that the Patriots would at least consider selecting another quarterback in this April’s draft. While the losses on defense might prevent them from selecting a quarterback at No. 23, that doesn’t mean Belichick will avoid taking somebody with good NFL-ready ability.
Let’s take a look at some quarterbacks who could still be on the board when New England selects in the third round (Nos. 87, 90, and 100) and beyond.
Jake Fromm – Georgia Bulldogs
Fromm regressed a bit in 2019 but still rounded out the season with all-around solid numbers. Just shy of 61 percent completion rate, 24 touchdowns, five interceptions, and a rating of 141.2, Fromm does a great job of keeping the offense on the field.
When you look at quarterbacks in the draft, he actually might be the one who best emulates that of Tom Brady’s draft profile.
“Struggles to escape pressure.”
“Lacks arm strength.”
“Yeah, he doesn’t put the ball in jeopardy. But it comes at the cost of a lot of chunk plays.”
Just a few things that seem to be a common theme on his profile from The Draft Network. In essence, the man who’s projected to go mid-to-late third round is a game manager. He’s never going to kill you, but he also might not have the essential killer instinct needed to play in a win-now market like New England.
However, if you’re looking for someone that emulates someone like Brady did in college, Fromm is the guy.
Jacob Eason – Washington Huskies
Eason is a tricky quarterback to project. The Draft Network has him going mid-to-early second round, but Walter Football ranks him below Jake Fromm on their board.
The Lake Stevens native began his career at Georgia before transferring to his hometown school of Washington. After not playing in 2018, the junior quarterback completed 64.2 percent of his passes for 3,132 yards (career-high), throwing 23 touchdowns and eight interceptions in 13 games.
While the Pac-12 doesn’t quite possess the same level of defensive prowess as the SEC, you still have to hit receivers and put them in a position to score. Eason did a great job of that, leading the Huskies to 32 points-per-game (fifth in the conference).
The 22-year-old has an elite arm in terms of strength and also possesses the utmost confidence in that arm. However, that can be both a curse and a blessing. He’ll always be willing to take a shot down the field, but sometimes he tries to make plays that aren’t there.
In college, that may go incomplete more often than not. In the NFL, there’s a much greater risk of turnover.
Jalen Hurts – Oklahoma Sooners
This one is a bit of a long shot, as Hurts doesn’t fit the ideal mold of a New England quarterback.
However, Hurts is probably the closest thing to a Lamar Jackson in this year’s draft: good enough thrower of the football, but much better suited as a runner. Although stats might tell you otherwise, that’s who Hurts is.
The former Alabama signal-caller transferred to Oklahoma due to him losing the starting job to Tua Tagovailoa. As a result, he was able to benefit from playing in the Big 12 … a major step down from the SEC defenses he faced at Alabama.
2020 was kind to Hurts, as he posted career-highs in yards (3,851), completion percentage (69.7), touchdowns (32), and rating (191.2).
He also added 1,298 yards and 20 touchdowns on the ground –– both career-highs.
Hurts is a winner, as he’s always made the most of every situation he’s been in. He has a National Championship win, three appearances, and never missed the CFB Playoff in his four years. While he does break contain prematurely and lacks elite throwing abilities, he could be a nice “change of pace” project for the Patriots moving forward.
But he cannot start right away.
Khalil Tate – Arizona Wildcats
Another guy who’s more of a Lamar Jackson than a Tom Brady, Khalil Tate is projected to fall somewhere in the fourth-to-sixth-round range.
One thing you’ll never confuse him for is an elite thrower of the football, as he only completed 58 percent of passes in his four years at Arizona. He’s much more of a runner, but he does still have the desire to throw the ball before simply tucking it and running.
Analysts around the league say that Tate has explosive speed when he gets into the open field, and his 4.49 40-yard dash would tend to agree. He’s another project-type quarterback, but he’s mature and does have some beautiful throws to his resume –– particularly off his back-foot or on the run.
He was once considered one of the most exciting players to watch in college football. Somebody will give him a chance, but will it be New England?
Anthony Gordon – Washington State Cougars
This one would likely come in the sixth round, where New England has four picks.
Gordon completed 71.6 percent of throws for 5,579 yards to go along with his 48 touchdowns. However, it isn’t all great for the one-year starter for Washington State, as he threw 16 interceptions and has somewhat of a “Favre” complex.
Translation: he tries to make things happen when something isn’t there, thus leading to costly interceptions in tight-window throws. However, that kind of stuff can be managed if you throw for nearly 50 touchdowns and over 5,500 yards.
Pac 12 defenses and “safe throws” are major causes for Gordon’s high completion rate. However, that kind of offense is what New England has been running for years. Dink-and-dunk. Get the ball to your skill players and let them do the rest of the work.
Lastly, Gordon spreads the ball around effectively. His 48 touchdowns went to 10 different receivers, and seven of those receivers caught 43 or more passes. On top of that, seven of his receivers tallied north of 500 yards.
So if you want James White, Julian Edelman, or even N’Keal Harry to get more involved, Anthony Gordon might be the guy you’re circling come Draft Day.
