Todd McShay Makes Patriots Prediction In Pre-Free Agency NFL Mock Draft

The New England Patriots are already making plans regarding the 2021 NFL draft, and this mock draft makes perfects sense.

Todd McShay from ESPN made a big mock draft Thursday night. He made his prediction less than two weeks before the start of the NFL free agency.

Well, it’s not like his initial prediction for the Patriots changes.

McShay made his first mock draft last month. It was his first post-Super Bowl LV mock draft. According to him, Patriots would select Penn State linebacker Micah Parsons with the No. 15 overall pick in 2021. McShay doubled down on Thursday. He went on suggesting Belichick would check out other avenues for finding his next franchise quarterback.

“I’m watching for the Patriots to add a quarterback via free agency or trade this offseason — maybe Jimmy Garoppolo — and potentially take a close look at the Day 2 options at the position,” McShay wrote. “But with the top five off the board, another need matches up with some great value in the form of Parsons. The Penn State do-it-all linebacker opted out in 2020, but he can make plays in coverage, shoot gaps as a run-stopper, chase down ball carriers and even get home on the QB as a pass-rusher. I love his game.”

McShay’s Patriots mock draft makes sense

McShay confirms the potential connection between Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields and the Patriots. He discussed this possibility in his very first post-regular season mock draft in January. McShay didn’t add any trades into his edition, but he did project two trades inside the top 10 picks in the recent mock draft. It’s interesting to see him suggest an early run on quarterbacks in Round 1 of the NFL Draft.

According to McShay, the first four picks will be quarterbacks. Trevor Lawrence goes to Jacksonville Jaguars, Zach Wilson to the New York Jets, Fields to the Carolina Panthers (through a trade deal with the Miami Dolphins) and Trey Lance to the Atlanta Falcons. Alabama quarterback Mac Jones joins the San Francisco 49ers through a trade deal with the Denver Broncos at No.9.

Mel Kiper Jr. says the Patriots will trade up to get a quarterback. Former NFL general manager Mike Tannenbaum agrees with this one.