Patriots Rumors: Jayden Daniels to Have ‘Lengthy Meeting’ with Team Before Pro Day

Adam WellsMarch 26, 2024

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The New England Patriots are going to have a busy week evaluating potential quarterbacks they might take with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft, starting with LSU star Jayden Daniels on Tuesday.

Per The Athletic’s Jeff Howe, the Patriots are scheduled to have a “lengthy meeting” with Daniels tonight leading into his pro day on Wednesday.

Howe also noted New England will attend North Carolina’s pro day to watch Drake Maye on Thursday.

The Patriots are arguably the most fascinating team leading up to the draft because there doesn’t seem to be a clear picture of what they are going to do.

It would be an upset if the Chicago Bears at No. 1 don’t take Caleb Williams. The Washington Commanders at No. 2 seem almost certain to get a quarterback, though it’s unclear if it will be Daniels or Maye.

Head coach Jerod Mayo told reporters on Monday that drafting a quarterback at No. 3 is “the priority right now,” but he also said “all the options are still open for us” because you “have to really be in love with the guy to take him” that high.

It’s certainly possible Mayo is doing the thing everyone in the NFL does at this point in the offseason and trying to throw opposing teams off the trail to see if the Patriots could get a rich trade proposal that would be foolish to turn down.

There has been some reporting the Patriots will be locked in on a quarterback with their first pick.

Karen Guregian, Mark Daniels and Chris Mason of MassLive reported during the NFL scouting combine that New England’s quarterback plan was to draft a quarterback at No. 3 and sign a veteran capable of starting if the coaching staff didn’t feel the rookie was ready to play right away.

The second part of the plan is in place after Jacoby Brissett signed a one-year deal in free agency to return to the Patriots.

There is some debate over Daniels’ ultimate ceiling in the NFL. B/R NFL scout Derrik Klassen compared his skill set to Tyrod Taylor, with the main concerns being his “average arm talent and inconsistent accuracy” that limit his upside.

B/R’s NFL scouting department has Daniels ranked as the No. 3 quarterback in this year’s class, behind Maye and Williams, and No. 29 overall prospect.

Daniels is coming off a terrific 2023 season at LSU that saw him win the Heisman Trophy. He threw for 3,812 yards, 40 touchdowns, completed 72.7 percent of his attempts, while also running for 1,134 yards and 10 touchdowns.