NFL Rumors: Part of Patriots camp wants to avoid drafting this top QB

The New England Patriots occupy a key inflection point in the 2024 NFL Draft. The new-look front office, helmed by former Green Bay Packers exec Eliot Wolf, has a choice to make with the No. 3 overall pick — select the QB left over after picks Nos. 1 and 2, or trade back and focus on alternative QB options.

USC's Caleb Williams is widely expected to be the first player off the board. North Carolina gunslinger Drake Maye and LSU dual-threat QB Jayden Daniels are the two QBs New England is tasked with deciding between. Only, it's not exactly the Patriots' decision. The Washington Commanders will select one of them with the No. 2 pick, limiting the Pats' optionality.

New England met with both Maye and Daniels at the NFL Draft Combine in Indianapolis. According to Phil Perry of NBC Sports Boston, it was Maye who won the "first impression," showcasing appealing charisma for a team in need of a cultural reset. Maye appears to be the more natural leader of men.

"Though his combine interview was only a first impression, the Patriots won't write off [Maye's] personality as an unimportant trait. At the quarterback position, if you want your teammates to play for you, you better bring some enthusiasm to your job."

Daniels won the Heisman Trophy last season behind unrivaled production, completing 72.2 percent of his passes for 3,812 yards and running for an additional 1,134 yards. He was responsible for 50 combined touchdowns, leading a deeply flawed LSU team to a 9-3 record in the cutthroat SEC.

That said, his less vocal personality could be held against him. While NFL scouts allegedly referred to Daniels' arm as "more advanced" than Lamar Jackson in college, another concern plagues his potential connection to New England — the weather.

Daniels grew up in San Bernardino. He played his college football at Arizona State and LSU. He has never been around much truly cold weather; New England winters are downright frigid. That has even led to doubt in Daniels' own camp.

"There are questions among NFL coaches as to how Daniels -- who is from California and played at Arizona State and LSU -- would adapt to the playing conditions in New England. It's my understanding there are those in his camp who prefer Daniels doesn't end up in the Northeast."

That does not rule out Daniels as an option for the Patriots, but it certainly casts doubt on a potential partnership.

Cold weather could be why Patriots pass on Jayden Daniels in NFL Draft

We don't know the definitive thought process of the Patriots' front office, but we can use NBC Sports' report to piece together the proverbial tea leaves. Not only did Maye win the first impression, but Michigan QB J.J. McCarthy also has fans inside the organization.

That probably speaks to the type of QB New England values. Maye and McCarthy are more traditional pocket passers, blessed with excellent size, strength, and zip behind their throws. Daniels boasts a lighter frame and a far more mobile approach, frequently improvising outside the pocket and laying his body on the line to move the chains.

The NFL has broadly come to accept and embrace running QBs, but the classic "Patriot Way" approach in New England could demand a more classic QB. If the Commanders pass on Maye, we can safely assume the Pats will draft him No. 3 overall. The Commanders, under new OC Kliff Kingsbury, are a much more natural fit for Daniels, cold weather be damned.

That said, if Washington rolls with Maye and the consensus opinion in NFL Draft circles, that could leave New England with an urge to trade back, either for McCarthy or in favor of help at another "premium position," as Perry puts it. Offensive line and wide receiver are natural points of emphasis.

We know the Pats want a veteran QB, so there's no guarantee the front office even prioritizes a rookie in 2024. They can always draft one next year. It seems like that approach is very much in play if Daniels is available when New England is on the clock.

UPDATE: Jayden Daniels had a one-word (emoji) response to all of this — Cap (which is Gen Z speak for "lie").