With Tom Brady turning 41 in the next few months, the Patriots are becoming increasingly aware of a growing need to find his replacement. While Brady is coming off another stellar season, which saw him earn league MVP honors, no team can be too careful when dealing with older quarterbacks. History has proven that not many can play at a high level after the age of 40. However, it is possible Brady could be the exception. His diet and training will certainly give him an advantage over others who tried defying Father Time in the past. But New England needs the comfort of having a young quarterback behind Brady, in the unlikely event disaster strikes.
While the Patriots possess two first round draft picks, it is expected that they’ll use one of these to draft a quarterback. The Patriots acquired one of their second round picks in the Jimmy Garoppolo trade with San Francisco last October. The following is a list of quarterbacks that the team could select:
Lamar Jackson, Louisville. While seemingly a long shot, there have been rumors in the past week linking the Louisville standout to New England. Many analysts have Jackson off the board before New England even has the chance, but others think Jackson could slip into the second round. Jackson may not be the ideal quarterback for the Patriots due to his lackluster performance in the pocket, but his overall athleticism may cause the team to take notice. He has great speed for a quarterback and has proven to be dangerous when making plays on the run.
Kyle Lauletta, Richmond. Many think Lauletta is the best fit for New England. A four-year starter at Richmond, he has been praised for both his football IQ and accuracy on the field, both traits New England has been fortunate enough to witness for almost two decades. Lauletta has also expressed his interest in lacrosse, a sport Belichick has not hidden his love for (see Chris Hogan).
Luke Falk, Washington State. Falk’s former college coach Mike Leach sees a large degree of similarity between Falk and Brady in regard to his diet and work ethic. Similar to Brady, Falk displays deadly accuracy on short passes and has shown, for the most part, good movement in the pocket. His college career has been marked by several inconsistencies, but, if Belichick believes he is the best fit for the team, he will work with Falk to fix them.
