Recent indications suggest that the New England Patriots are contemplating the idea of trading down from their No. 3 pick in the upcoming 2024 Draft. However, according to NBC Sports Boston’s Phil Perry, going in the opposite direction—trading up—isn’t a favorable option.
With the Patriots’ primary requirement being a quarterback, USC’s Caleb Williams leads the pack in the current draft class and is widely anticipated to be the first pick. Despite Williams’ evident talent, Perry opposes the notion of trading up to acquire the touted best quarterback in the draft due to one major concern: turnovers.
Perry recalled the comparison of Zach Wilson to Patrick Mahomes a few years ago, emphasizing Wilson’s tendency to turn the ball over, similar to Williams. Perry pointed out that Williams had a significant number of fumbles during his college career, with 16 occurring just last season. This propensity for turnovers, Perry suggests, casts doubt on Williams’ suitability for the NFL, despite his accolades.
In comparing Williams’ turnover statistics with those of Patriots quarterback Mac Jones and backup Bailey Zappe, Perry highlighted that Williams’ turnover rate is concerning, especially considering the level of competition he faced in the Pac-12.
Perry underscored the depth of talent among quarterbacks in the draft, suggesting that the Patriots should not sacrifice additional draft picks to move up for Williams, particularly when there may be equally talented players available at their current position.
Given the Patriots’ numerous roster needs and the importance of building for the future, Perry advocated for retaining their current draft position rather than trading up for a quarterback like Williams. As it stands, the most likely quarterback to be available to the Patriots at No. 3 would be Jayden Daniels from LSU.
