2024 NFL Mock Draft: Patriots land elite weapon and the next star QB out of Michigan in 3-round mock 2.0

No. 36– Patriots answer the Mac Jones question by selecting Michigan QB J.J. McCarthy

The Mac Jones safety net will only last through the first round of the draft.  In round two, the New England Patriots will draft J.J. McCarthy out of the University of Michigan.

This will instantly spar a quarterback debate throughout Patriots Nation and get have fans clamoring about the possibility of McCarthy being the next franchise quarterback out of Michigan.

While McCarthy will enter the draft with more accolades than that guy named Tom Brady, those will be some big shoes to live up to.  At the same time, with how things have gone so far with Mac Jones, the opportunity to succeed might be higher for McCarthy especially with the team addressing the need for a big-time offensive playmaker in the first round.

With the possibility of Josh McDaniels potentially rejoining the Patriots coaching staff in some compacity if not offensive coordinator, New England should be a great situation for McCarthy.  Yes, the same was said about Mac Jones, but with McCarthy there seems to be more of that leadership gene missing with Jones.

In leading the Wolverines to a 9-0 record, the Heisman Trophy candidate is a highly efficient signal caller who has completed 75.7 percent of his passes.  He is also had the second-best passer rating in all college football at 188.68.  He isn’t Drake Maye or Bo Nix, but those attributes and that leadership aspect will have Patriots coaches feeling good about this selection, especially with him having the likes of Marvin Harrison Jr. to throw the ball to.