Alabama Football: Tide breaks record in final NFL Mock Draft
By Dakota Cox
Alabama football breaks record in NFL Mock Draft 5.0
15. New England Patriots: Trey Lance, QB, North Dakota State
There is no way that this happens in real life. If a quarterback slides, someone will trade up. The Patriots would consider it. Washington would consider it. Chicago would have to be in the mix. All of this points to the top five quarterbacks being off the board before the 15th pick.
However, we’ve seen uncharacteristic slides before. Dwayne Haskins dropped to Washington. Jordan Love fell so far that the Packers traded up to get him. We could see a similar drop with Lance since he won’t be ready to start immediately. If a coach or GM is worried about their job, they won’t take the guy who needs time to develop.
New England also desperately needs a quarterback. They upgraded the roster in free agency, but Cam Newton is no longer good enough to get it done. Even if he starts this season, he can’t be the long-term option, and the Patriots are simply too good to expect to draft early any time soon.
Expect New England to consider trading up to land a quarterback, but definitely expect them to take one if they fall. The value here makes perfect sense, and the fit would be great for both Lance and the Patriots. Newton could be a mentor for a season or two before letting Trey Lance loose on the AFC East.