NFL Rumors: Could Bill Belichick’s draft QB preference forecast Patriots plans?

Even when he is no longer a part of the organization, Bill Belichick has found a way to influence the New England Patriots and their offseason plans.

Entering the 2024 NFL Draft with the No. 3 overall pick and a clear need to upgrade the quarterback position, considering 2021 first-round pick Mac Jones has regressed in each of the past two seasons after earning a Pro Bowl nod as a rookie, the Patriots are in position to potentially select their signal-caller of the future.

One player on Belichick’s radar before his departure was the 2023 Heisman Trophy winner, LSU’s Jayden Daniels.

Belichick “loved” Daniels, per NFL Network’s Bridget Condon. He was “on the top of their draft board,” Condon added, saying the former head coach was ready to do “everything in his power” to try and get the former LSU Tiger.

Has the sentiment around Daniels changed in New England now that Belichick is out of the picture?

NFL Rumors: Will Patriots draft Bill Belichick’s QB preference?

“This is the time for Jerod Mayo to say: ‘This is how I run things.’ Is he going to follow the footsteps of Bill Belichick?” Condon asked.

As rookie head coach Jerod Mayo looks to make a positive impression in New England’s first year of the post-Belichick era, what will he do? Does he try to do things his way? Or does he take the advice of his predecessor, who is arguably the best coach in league history?

The Patriots are entering uncharted territory by their standards, picking in the top five for the first time since they selected Willie McGinest with the fourth overall pick in the 1994 draft, albeit a monumental decision that will ultimately decide the fate of the franchise moving forward and Mayo’s tenure with the team. 

Daniels is the No. 6-ranked player on NFL Media analyst Daniel Jeremiah’s updated 2024 NFL Draft prospect rankings.