Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images The reigning Heisman Trophy winner is one of the top quarterback prospects available in the draft. While their 2023 season is still underway, it seems fairly clear that the New England Patriots will be in the market for a quarterback this coming offseason. Neither Mac Jones nor Bailey Zappe have proven themselves viable long-term starting solutions, after all, which contributed to the team’s current 3-11 record. That record has cast a shadow of doubt over the team’s leadership heading into 2024, but it also will allow put the team in prime position to address its biggest need in the upcoming draft. With the Patriots currently on track to earn a top-2 selection and highly unlikely to fall out of even the top-4, drafting a QB early next April could very much be the call. If so, LSU’s Jayden Daniels is a name to watch. On Monday, the recent Heisman Trophy winner officially announced that he will opt out of the Tigers’ bowl game against Wisconsin and head toward the draft. Forever LSU! Thank You! pic.twitter.com/4bWi2LleeQ— Jayden (@JayD__5) December 18, 2023 Daniels, 23, is coming off of a massively productive two-year stint in Baton Rouge. Transferring over from Arizona State ahead of the 2022 season, he started 26 games for the Tigers and led them to a combined 19 wins. Along the way, he completed 502 of 715 pass attempts (70.2%) for 6,725 yards, 57 touchdowns and just 7 interceptions. Additionally, he carried the ball 321 times for 2,019 yards and 21 scores. His 2023 senior season was his best to date, and earned him several individual accolades. Not only did he win college football’s most prestigious honor — the Heisman Trophy — he also was named SEC Offensive Player of the Year and won the Walter Camp and Davey O’Brien Awards, among other accolades. What makes Daniels such an intriguing prospect and potential Patriots target, though, is not just his production or trophy case. The 6-foot-4, 210-pound quarterback also is as impressive an athlete as any in this year’s draft. He is a prototypical dual-threat option who has shown an ability to play successful football both in and out of structure. His deep ball is as pretty as any in the country, he has a natural feel for the pocket, and he has shown steady growth during his two seasons at LSU. There are questions about his frame, ball placement, and processing, but his upside is obvious. Arguably the No. 3 quarterback in this year’s draft behind USC’s Caleb Williams and North Carolina’s Drake Maye, he will likely hear his name called in the first round and possibly as early as the top-15. Source: https://www.patspulpit.com/2023/12/18/2 ... -draft-lsu
