2024 NFL Draft Targets for the Patriots
The New England Patriots have found themselves with the third overall pick in this year’s upcoming draft. It is the first time the team has held a top-five draft selection since they drafted linebacker Willie McGinest fourth overall in the 1994 draft.
This year’s draft consists of star-studded talent across the board. There are several routes the Patriots can take when deciding as to whom they want to be a cornerstone player for years to come.
Assuming Southern California quarterback Caleb Williams and North Carolina QB Drake Maye are off the board after the first two picks, let's dive into the top prospects that the Patriots can potentially target with their selection.
Marvin Harrison jr., WR, Ohio State
Photo Credit: John Bazemore, Associated Press
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As this year’s Fred Biletnikoff Award winner, Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. solidified himself as the top wide receiver in all of college football. He finished the season with 67 receptions, 1,211 yards and 14 touchdowns. This came as no surprise, as many scouts had Harrison projected as a first-round draft pick following the end of last season before he was even eligible to declare for the draft.
Harrison has shown elite abilities in all facets of the wide receiver position. He has a big frame, standing at 6’4” and weighing in at 205 pounds.
With his size, he still possesses exceptional speed. Harrison is projected to run a sub-4.4 second 40-yard dash at the NFL combine. It is very rare to see such a combination of size and speed.
Along with this, Harrison possesses elite hands and amazing route-running abilities.
There are few flaws to his game, none being something unteachable. His ball security and inability to break tackles seem to be somewhat of an issue. Once he is drafted, he will grow stronger, making it more difficult for defenders to tackle him.
Harrison Jr. is a sure-fire professional wide receiver and should see much success at the next level.
Why he fits
New England has struggled in the passing game since former QB Tom Brady exited. While the quarterback play has been lackluster, it is no secret that the Patriots put minimal effort into surrounding their quarterbacks with weapons that could lead to success.
New England’s offense ranked 28th in passing offense this past season, averaging 180.5 passing yards per game and scoring a total of 16 touchdowns through the air.
There has not been a WR1-caliber player on the Patriots roster since Julian Edelman’s retirement after the 2020 season. Harrison immediately fixes that problem for New England and provides an immediate threat that defenses would need to key in on.
He is a player that every team wants, but do the Patriots view him as a player they most need?
Joe alt, OT, notre dame
Photo Credit: IrishSportsDaily.com
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Another prospect that checks off just about every single box an organization could ask for coming out of college, Notre Dame left tackle Joe Alt is also as raw of a prospect as it gets. Alt stands at an astounding 6’8” and weighs in at 330 pounds.
He only started playing offensive tackle as a senior in high school, after transitioning from the tight end position.
Although his quick development is impressive, he was raised by a professional tackle. His father, John Alt, was a first-round pick in the 1984 NFL Draft for the Kansas City Chiefs. During his 13-year career, John Alt was a two-time NFL pro-bowler and 1990 second-team all-pro selection for the franchise.
Joe Alt is naturally gifted and has put in the work to be an elite-level left tackle. As a captain this past year, he helped lead the Fighting Irish to the 29th total offense in the NCAA FBS division.
Protecting QB Sam Hartman’s blindside, the left tackle also guided Notre Dame to 39.1 points per game, ranking second all-time in program history.
Along with all these accolades, it cannot be overlooked that his success was heavily noticed as he was a unanimous All-American selection for the 2023 season.
Just like Marvin Harrison, Alt’s only weaknesses - if you can even consider them a “weakness” - are things that can be fixed at the next level.
why he fits
The Patriots offense as a whole struggled immensely last year. Much of that stemmed from the weak play from the offensive line. While the Patriots have valuable starting linemen in center David Andrews and guard/right tackle Mike Onwenu, both players may not be on the roster next year - Andrews mulling retirement and Onwenu a free agent.
To add on, the play at left tackle this past year was abysmal. Starting LT Trent Brown consistently showed he is not the player he was during his first stint with the Patriots. He missed 6 games throughout the 2023 season with some speculating that he decided not to play while being healthy.
Behind Brown on the depth chart was LT Vederian Lowe. Lowe was responsible for letting up six sacks this season which ranks tied for 15th on the season. This all came with him playing under 40 percent of offensive snaps.
Brown is a free agent and Lowe has proven he is not a long-term answer at left tackle. Alt can immediately step in and be the anchor this offensive line needs.
Jayden Daniels, QB, Louisiana state
Photo Credit: TheDraftNetwork.com
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LSU QB Jayden Daniels came into the 2023 college season as a player who would help his team compete and end up being a later-round pick in the NFL Draft. It is fair to say he vastly exceeded those expectations.
Daniels took home the Heisman Trophy as college football’s top player by a fair margin, beating out University of Washington QB Michael Penix and University of Oregon QB Bo Nix who were both regarded as the two front-runners for the majority of the season.
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Starting his career off at Arizona State, Daniels was never considered a top-tier college football quarterback. His third and final season with the Sun Devils ended with him registering a 65.4 completion percentage, 2,380 passing yards, 10 TD and 10 interceptions through the air to go along with 138 carries, 710 yards and 6 touchdowns on the ground.
With his run game established already, Daniels transferred to LSU for the 2022 season and proved that he was a capable passer as well. He led his team to a 10-3 regular season record and capped it off with a 63-7 win over Purdue University in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl.
This past season Daniels continued to improve his game and produce for LSU. He finished with a 72.2 completion percentage, 3,812 passing yards, 40 TD and 4 INT in the passing game to pair with 135 carries, 1,134 yards and 10 TD rushing.
He stopped relying so much on his rushing ability and proved that his passing abilities are just as valuable to his team.
Daniels is the first-ever player in FBS history to record 12,000 passing yards and 3,000 rushing yards in a career.
After every game Daniels played, his draft stock rose. Will the Patriots take a chance in the hopes that Daniels can keep developing into a franchise QB?
why he fits
At the forefront of the list of offensive issues for the Patriots this past season was the quarterback play. It has been since Brady left.
Daniels is highly experienced and just turned 23 years old. Sometimes teams like to take time to develop an early-round quarterback behind a veteran starter. However, Daniels has the talent to step in immediately and help run an offense, especially a team such as the Patriots who did not have much success at the position.
The 2023 season consisted of Mac Jones playing until he was eventually benched by Bailey Zappe. Jones finished with a quarterback rating of 36.7, landing him at 28th overall. Zappe finished at an even worse mark with a 23.2 rating.
Jayden Daniels could come into the Patriots organization and compete for the starting role right off the bat and be the spark to the start of the next dynasty in New England.
There is still a lot that needs to happen within the Patriots organization before the draft, but this year’s first-round pick will be one of the most important transactions in the team’s recent history. The NFL Draft will start on April 25.