Daniel Jeremiah, an NFL draft expert, believes the New England Patriots should use the third overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft to select a quarterback.

When asked if the Patriots should take a quarterback or pursue another option, such as Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., Jeremiah said the following during a pre-NFL Scouting Combine conference call (h/t NFL.com’s Dan Parr):

“To me, it would be difficult to pass on a quarterback. You’re not guaranteed to be at number three again. I didn’t recognize the stadium when I was there last year. Clearly, the team was not good. But there had been so much energy and juice in that building the previous times I had been there, and it was just so flat. Not only was it a bad team, but it was also boring. There was no juice or excitement whatsoever. Whatever [quarterback] is there, if it’s one of the top three, those guys will inject so much energy and life into your franchise. It simply feels right. You have new leadership in place. It’s almost as if the New England Patriots are starting over.

“I love Marvin Harrison Jr. I love him. He’s an excellent player, but it would be difficult to pass up a quarterback given their current situation at that position.


As the draft approaches, it is widely expected that at least three quarterbacks will be selected early in the first round, including USC’s Caleb Williams, North Carolina’s Drake Maye, and LSU’s Jayden Daniels.

Since future Hall of Fame quarterback Tom Brady left the Patriots after the 2019 season, the team has been looking for a replacement.

In the four years since, the Patriots have given veteran Cam Newton one season as starter before selecting Mac Jones in the first round of the 2021 NFL draft and making him the primary starter for three seasons.

New England made the playoffs once during the four-year period, and its record in 2023 was 4-13, the worst in Bill Belichick’s 24-year coaching career.

After a nightmare season marked by brutal quarterback play from Jones, Belichick and the Patriots mutually agreed to part ways. He was replaced by Jerod Mayo, a former Patriots linebacker.

New England could take a different approach if it signs Kirk Cousins or Baker Mayfield in free agency, or if it trades for Justin Fields or Russell Wilson, but the Patriots require a long-term answer at quarterback.

Passing on Harrison could come back to haunt them, as he is widely regarded as the best wide receiver in a loaded wideout class, and he is coming off back-to-back collegiate seasons of over 1,200 yards and 14 touchdowns.

However, if the Patriots don’t have anyone to get him the ball on a consistent basis, picking a weapon like Harrison may not be very beneficial.