Jayden Daniels — NFL Mock Draft Roundup 1.0

While Marvin Harrison Jr. would be tempting here, the Patriots need to address the quarterback position first and foremost. Daniels is coming off a monster year as a dual-threat weapon.

To say that it's the end of an era would be an understatement. It's the end of the era. Bill Belichick, the best (arguably) head coach of all time has left the Patriots. Belichick's departure is more than just a coaching change. The Xs and Os will change quite a bit under new Head Coach Jerod Mayo, to be sure, but the Patriot Way we have known for over two decades is no more. Mayo may be an internal hire, but anyone who thinks he can replace Belichick seamlessly doesn't have a great grasp on reality. Besides, based on the results of the post-Brady era, shouldn't the Patriots want to head in a new direction?

The coaching change coincides with another rare occurrence for New England: the team holds a top 3 pick in the 2024 draft.

If the Patriots were drafting in the middle of the first round, I could see them opting against selecting a quarterback, despite the dire need. It would allow Mayo to mold the team to his preferences without having to integrate a learning rookie at the most important position in sports. But the Patriots pick third in a loaded QB draft, and intend not to pick this high again for a very long time.

This makes the selection of LSU Heisman Winner Jayden Daniels so intriguing. In this scenario, QBs go 1, 2, and 3, and it could very well go that way on draft night. Daniels is exactly the player New England needs to jump-start what has been an anemic offense for the past few years under Mac Jones.

Daniels is an exceptional athlete who excels at maneuvering in the pocket, and has phenomenal arm. In many ways, he is the opposite of Mac Jones as a prospect, which may make Pats fans happy. All in all, he would be an exceptional pick for New England, even this high on the draft.

Some may question whether this is too early for Jayden Daniels. It only takes one team to have confidence in his abilities, and if one team has a conviction about a player at the game's most important position, then it is justified. In this situation, the Patriots take Daniels No. 3 overall to replace former first-round pick Mac Jones.

The Patriots turn to a new chapter at quarterback with the creative, athletic, deep-ball specialist who just won the Heisman out of the SEC. I know quarterback-quarterback-quarterback doesn't happen often at the start of a draft, but these are all quarterback-needy clubs and these are high-caliber prospects.

The Patriots kick off a new era with a new head coach and a new quarterback in Heisman winner Jayden Daniels.

Arthur Smith is now the Falcons' former head coach because he believed his scheme and (misuse of) weapons could elevate mediocre quarterback play. It is interesting to think about what Atlanta's talented, ready-to-go roster would look like if you dropped in Daniels.

After producing a minus-12 turnover margin, you can bet that will be a point of emphasis for the Falcons. In 13 starts this season, Desmond Ridder had 12 interceptions and 12 fumbles; in 12 starts, Daniels accounted for only four interceptions and three fumbles.

The quicker New York moves on from Daniel Jones, the quicker they'll get back on the track toward relevancy. Jayden Daniels is an electric dual-threat talent with the processing ability to dissect defenses at multiple levels and the linear speed to outrun NFL secondary defenders. He expands a playbook and will keep defensive coordinators up late at night.

The career arc for Jayden Daniels is still expanding. As such, Daniels' ceiling may be higher than ever anticipated. He's a nimble passer with a crafty release and arm angle.

Daniels' arm talent is impeccable, and he can drive on the ball to every level. Durability concerns are all that keep Daniels from the conversation as the top quarterback in the class with Williams and Maye.

Bill Belichick and Robert Kraft deciding to mutually part ways is the official end of an era. It's been quite a while since Kraft had to hire a coach or GM, so those picks will give us more insight to what the Patriots plan to do with this one, but I can't imagine they won't address the quarterback position this offseason, whether in free agency or the draft. I'm not sold on Daniels being a top-3 pick yet, but he's certainly a top-10 talent in this draft class — I have him at No. 7 on my first Big Board of the season. He had a historic season in Baton Rouge, breaking Joe Burrow's NCAA passing efficiency record with a rating of 208 as a senior. The 2023 Heisman Trophy winner also produced 3,812 passing yards, 40 passing touchdowns and only four interceptions. He added 1,134 rushing yards and 10 scores on the ground for good measure.

Surprise! Jayden Daniels is the second quarterback off the board, not Drake Maye.

Daniels had an incredible 2023 season — he was the most dynamic quarterback in all college football. The Washington Commanders desperately need someone to make them exciting again, and Daniels could certainly do that.

The Giants are only tied to Daniel Jones from a financial perspective for one more season. If they are picking this high again in 2025, there's a chance general manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll aren't making that selection.

The point I'm making is there should be some urgency to find an upgrade under center. Daniels' electric running ability and vertical passing is a great fit with Daboll, who unlocked both of those aspects while working with Josh Allen a few years ago in Buffalo.

It's possible Daniels comes off the board in the top 10 (maybe even in the top three). This is more in line with where I'd place the Heisman winner in the stack, though, and Minnesota needs new life at the QB position. Daniels has played a lot of ball (55 games), but the 23-year-old still has room to develop and would be great with Justin Jefferson.

Desmond Ridder was given an honest shot to win the Falcons' starting quarterback job in perpetuity. While he displayed flashes of composure, he also fell apart in the red zone and found ways to turn wins into losses.

That leaves Atlanta in need of a quarterback capable of revitalizing an offense loaded with blue chip skill players. Daniels can be that guy. He scored 50 touchdowns in 12 games for the Tigers last fall.

Stale and lacking talent. That's the only way to sum up the current state of the Patriots' roster. The QB carousel of Bailey Zappe and Mac Jones left more questions than answers, and New England has to find some form of excitement on offense. Daniels is an electrifying talent who brings downfield passing ability and rushing mobility. His improvement during his senior season was remarkable, as he finished first in the FBS in Total QBR (95.6), touchdown passes from the pocket (35) and passing yards per attempt (11.7). His 40 passing TDs ranked second, and his 10 rushing scores tied for ninth among QBs.

This is a huge wild card, with the potential of a new coach and regime taking over. Anything in play. Trade down for more picks on a team devoid of talent? For now, I'll go with Daniels, who started 55 games in college and morphed into a legit dual-threat QB.