May QB Jayden Daniels fall to Patriots at No. 3 general?

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Fast-hit ideas and notes across the New England Patriots and NFL:

1. Dynamic Daniels: When Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo envisions how the 2024 NFL draft — which proprietor Robert Kraft has referred to as probably the most anticipated in his 31-year tenure — unfolds, he sees the Commanders because the wild card.

The Patriots have the No. 3 decide, their highest ever underneath Kraft. The Commanders are at No. 2.

“I do not assume anybody is aware of precisely what Washington goes to do. I feel everybody is aware of what Chicago goes to do at 1. However the remainder of it truthfully is simply up within the air,” Mayo mentioned.

Mayo is like many who assume the Bears will choose USC quarterback Caleb Williams at No. 1. He is making ready for a number of situations after that, and if the excitement popping out of the NFL’s annual assembly in Orlando, Florida, final week is any indication, the Commanders are too.

A part of the explanation Washington’s new regime, led by normal supervisor Adam Peters and coach Dan Quinn, attended professional days for LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels and North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye final week — simply because the Patriots’ high decision-makers did — is that they are saying they’re nonetheless undecided on their plans.

Many view Daniels and Maye because the almost definitely choices to go second and third, and if Daniels is by some means there for the Patriots, his first school coach thinks it will be the last word coup.

“If I used to be selecting No. 1, I am selecting Jayden Daniels. Possibly I am a bit of biased as a result of I do know the child,” mentioned Herm Edwards, who landed Daniels as a recruit at Arizona State in 2019 and coached him for 3 seasons earlier than Daniels transferred to LSU.

“When he got here to us, his complete deal was that he needed to be three [years] and completed. I instructed him, ‘Look, you need to achieve extra weight. You want extra reps.’ So the good half is that when he determined to go [to LSU] — he got here into my workplace and I gave him a hug and I mentioned, ‘It’s a must to go’ — now he is performed 56 school soccer video games. That is quite a lot of tape and that helps him.”

Daniels elevated his efficiency in 2023 to win the Heisman Trophy, finishing 72.2% of his passes, ending 236-of-327 for 3,812 passing yards with 40 touchdowns and simply 4 interceptions. He added 1,134 speeding yards on 135 carries (8.4 YPC) with 10 touchdowns.

In some methods, Edwards compares Daniels’ talent set to his last season enjoying for the Philadelphia Eagles in 1985, when the group was on the cusp of transitioning from pocket-passer Ron Jaworski to Randall Cunningham.

“When Randall acquired there, it was like, ‘Whoa, have a look at this dude.’ He was the athlete who might run and he might throw it, too, particularly down the sector. That is what Jayden does,” he mentioned.

“That is the man that will get off script and might make performs the protection cannot defend, that they have not seen. That is the toughest factor while you get a quarterback like this — you’ll be able to’t script what he’s going to do. You simply do not know, as a result of he does not know, till he sees it along with his eyes and says, ‘OK, I’ve to get out of right here and make a play.'”

One of many questions scouts have about Daniels is that if his fashion of play running-wise and slender body are constructed to final within the NFL as a result of he could be weak to extra contact. Daniels did not take official measurements on the NFL mix in February, electing to attend till LSU’s professional day this previous Wednesday, the place he was measured at 6-foot-3 5/8 and 210 kilos — which could be heavier than his enjoying weight at LSU. In distinction, Maye measured 6-foot-4 3/8 and 223 kilos.

Edwards mentioned that when Daniels first arrived at Arizona State, he was 189 kilos. He has watched Daniels develop since that point — in additional methods than one.

“I had him at 18. Now he is 23, so he is a younger man and he will get it, he understands the quarterback place. He performed within the SEC the final two years they usually did not beat him up. He was in each recreation and he is that type of man, man,” Edwards mentioned.

Particular to the Patriots, Mayo mentioned a few of the issues he’ll be on the lookout for when evaluating quarterbacks is how they study and cope with adversity. He additionally coined the phrase “tradition add” whereas noting the significance of assessing their management fashion and private character.

For this half, Edwards believes Daniels wouldn’t solely convey electrifying play but additionally a steadying presence.

“He is outgoing, however he isn’t loud. He is actual calm. He isn’t a confrontation man, such as you noticed with Tom Brady. He is extra the kind of come over and speak to the blokes and get it squared away. When it is going scorching and it is exhausting, there isn’t a panic on this dude.”

2. Brady evening: The best participant in Patriots historical past deserves the best send-off, and plans are shifting ahead for Tom Brady’s unprecedented Patriots Corridor of Fame induction ceremony inside Gillette Stadium on Wednesday, June 12, at 7 p.m. ET.

Subsequent week, Patriots season-ticket members can be despatched ticket data, and they are going to be given most popular pricing for the occasion by April 12. If there may be remaining stock after the presale course of, it is going to be made accessible to most people later in April. For longtime New England sports activities followers, it appears like this might be just like the historic “Larry Chicken Night time” in 1993.

3. Highsmith’s position: Final Monday, Mayo relayed one thing not too long ago employed senior personnel govt Alonzo Highsmith instructed him primarily based on his entrance workplace expertise with the Packers (2012-2017), Browns (2018-2019) and Seahawks (2020-2022).

“He mentioned all of the dangerous picks he is seen, it is actually been the place everybody wasn’t on the identical web page. You’ll hope you would get everybody on the identical web page — coaches and in addition scouts. When you have one individual drafting, that is not [good],” Mayo mentioned. “… We now have scouts throughout the board the place everybody has their totally different opinions. So that you wish to begin with listening to these, however at a while you need to type of shrink the group and are available to some frequent floor. We’re shut.”

Two days later, Highsmith was amongst a nine-person Patriots contingent of scouts and coaches at professional days for Daniels and Maye — a mirrored image of his standing as a high aide to director of scouting Eliot Wolf and Mayo, and in addition how the Patriots are trying to realize that alignment.

4. ‘Programs change’: One of many themes from Kraft’s remarks on the NFL annual assembly — which shed additional mild on his decision-making course of with Mayo — is his viewpoint on “how methods have modified” over the previous 10-15 years. That matter additionally got here up throughout Kraft’s look on “The Store,” the present starring LeBron James and businessman Maverick Carter, who’ve conversations and debates in a barbershop.

“Within the final decade, the gamers coming into the locker room are totally different,” Kraft mentioned as he sat alongside Raiders huge receiver Davante Adams. “So the way you relate to them, the way you join … I feel [Mayo] can relate to younger folks right now.”

Adams, coming into his eleventh NFL season, agreed with the general level, saying: “To ensure that the group to appreciate and fulfill their full potential, you want someone they’re prepared to play for. You are seeing a distinction [from when I came into the league] … the best way you speak to them, the verbiage or understanding you strategy them with; when you will have guys which have lived it a bit of bit [as players] you’ll be able to unlock a bit of little bit of one thing with a couple of gamers.”

5. DMac’s excellent draft: The Patriots held their annual pre-draft preview for season-ticket members on Saturday at Gillette Stadium, with former security and present NBC “Soccer Night time in America” analyst Devin McCourty serving each on the panel and as an interviewee of Mayo and director of school scouting Camren Williams.

One of many highlights got here when McCourty described his excellent draft for the group, which drew an audible cheer from the sellout crowd of a number of thousand: “As a lot as I like protection, I’d like to see first spherical/offense, second spherical/offense, third spherical/offense. Simply preserve it rolling and go get offensive guys! That is the place it is wanted probably the most.”

6. Teaching week: Mayo burdened the significance of the week forward for his teaching workers, and the way the coaches are making a major transition from draft preparation to X’s and O’s that can present up through the season. The Patriots might have began their voluntary offseason program Monday, however Mayo elected to attend till April 8 so he might concentrate on the workers.

“I need this week to be devoted to the coaches, as a result of now we’re not scouting as a lot,” he mentioned. “We introduced in 17 new coaches. It’s a stability between having these guys scout and in addition studying our personal offense and protection, and educating the opposite coaches.”

7. Reagor’s rise? With the NFL adopting a brand new rule to advertise extra kickoff returns, it might improve Jalen Reagor’s probabilities to stay on the roster as a depth-based receiver. Reagor had one of many NFL’s 4 kickoff returns for a landing final season (98 yards vs. Buffalo). General, the Patriots had simply 18 kickoff returns in 2023. In a mirrored image of how a lot kickoff returns have declined, contemplate that from 2000 to 2009, the Patriots averaged 61.2 kickoff returns per season. From 2010 to 2019, they averaged 34.6.

8. They mentioned it: “They’re been nice [conversations]; Coach Mayo, and simply in there speaking with new offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt, and studying their stuff. Such a historic program and group and historical past up there in New England, so simply getting an opportunity to know them, what they’re about, and their champion mindset of getting again to the glory days has been cool.” — Maye, at his professional day Thursday, on assembly with the Patriots

9. Preseason plans: Nothing is finalized, however buzz on the NFL’s annual assembly had the Patriots doubtless internet hosting the primary two video games of the preseason, earlier than touring within the third week. Preseason video games can lack sizzle, but when the Patriots choose a quarterback at No. 3, it might spark extra curiosity in them as a result of that prospect would doubtless play a major quantity of the sport.

10. Do you know: Mayo (first spherical) and Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell (third spherical) had been a part of the Patriots’ 2008 draft class; this marks simply the second time within the frequent draft period {that a} group chosen two gamers in the identical class who grew to become head coaches. The Bears’ class of 1981, with Mike Singletary (second spherical) and Jeff Fisher (seventh), was the opposite.