The New England Patriots will face a huge decision when picking No. 3 in this year’s NFL Draft. They must wait for the Chicago Bears and Washington Commanders to make their first selection of the Jerod Mayo era.
New England’s selection could hinge on how those two teams proceed, but Mayo doesn’t believe there’s any mystery about the first choice.
“I think everyone knows what Chicago is going to do at 1,” Mayo said at the league’s annual meeting, per Jori Epstein of Yahoo Sports. “But the rest is up in the air.”
After trading Justin Fields, Caleb Williams seems like an essential lock to hear his name called first in Detroit. However, Washington’s thought process isn’t as clear.
“I don’t think anyone in here really knows what Washington’s going to do,” Mayo said. “And when you see these other teams making moves, acquiring pieces to move, we could sit here and say Washington today, [then] that could be someone else on draft day.”
The Commanders and Patriots are likely both pursuing quarterbacks. While Drake Maye entered the offseason as the most popular No. 2 prospect, Jayden Daniels or even J.J. McCarthy remain options.
Washington attended pro days for those three quarterbacks. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero said many executives predicted the Commanders will take McCarthy. Meanwhile, LSU head coach Brian Kelly made people wonder what he knows when predicting Daniels will “make plays for Washington.”
Commanders head coach Dan Quinn said the organization hasn’t reached a decision. Mayo and the Patriots may not know what to expect from that preceding pick until April 25.