Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels is obviously gaining steam on some draft boards, but Mel Kiper Jr. took things a step further by having the former LSU quarterback surpass Drake Maye at No. 2 overall.
Kiper dropped his first 2024 NFL mock draft on Tuesday with the Chicago Bears selecting Caleb Williams out of USC with the No. 1 pick, followed by the Washington Commanders taking Daniels.
That left North Carolina’s Maye ripe for the taking by the New England Patriots with the No. 3 overall draft pick.
ESPN’s Kiper wrote:
Maye had some ups and downs in 2023, but he’s an outstanding deep-ball thrower in a 6-foot-4 frame. He takes care of the football and has some dual-threat ability. There’s a ton to like in his potential. And while the Bears might struggle with the decision to move on from their first-round quarterback picked in the 2021 draft, the Patriots shouldn’t agonize much. Mac Jones has regressed enough to make that an easy call this offseason. Quarterback is by far New England’s biggest need.
If anything, Kiper’s draft board shows that Daniels remains in the mix as one of the top-three quarterbacks in the 2024 NFL draft. This isn’t just a two-horse race between Williams and Maye.
If the Patriots want to take a quarterback, they’ll be in prime position to do so regardless of what happens in the two spots ahead of them.
That goes without saying Maye could be a tremendous fit in New England if he’s still on the board when the Patriots are on the clock. They could kick-start a turnaround by addressing the biggest need on the roster in the best way possible.
