Morning Sports Update

Adam Schefter explained why the Patriots’ top pick in NFL Draft will be ‘the first moment of truth’

The Patriots currently hold the third overall pick.

By Hayden Bird

April 25, 2024

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Adam Schefter’s pre-draft take on the Patriots: Tonight, the NFL Draft begins at 8 p.m. in the culmination of months of speculation. The Patriots enter the annual event holding the third overall pick.

Whether or not New England stays at the third spot—and which player gets selected—remains a fascinating mystery. This is even true for NFL insiders, including ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

In fact, Schefter views the Patriots’ spot in the draft as a major fault-line, carrying a cascade of potential effects for the rest of the league depending on what the New England brain trust decides.

“The whole thing is right now to me, what’s going to happen at three?” Schefter questioned during a Wednesday interview on The Rich Eisen Show. “I think New England will wind up staying, but they’ve gotten calls from the Vikings, and they’ve gotten calls from the Giants, and everybody’s saying New England’s staying, and that’s fine.

“But what happens when we get on the clock, and New England’s there, and the Giants or the Vikings say, ‘We’ve got 10 minutes to go get the quarterback we want,'” Schefter explained. “What’s going to happen then, because nobody’s really showing their full hand.”

After Eisen shared his own mock draft (projecting quarterback Drake Maye to the Patriots with the third pick), Schefter noted that it was “perfectly plausible.”

Still, he added the possibility of in-draft trades creates a level of uncertainty.

“At about 8:19 [p.m.], the first moment of truth [will] arrive,” Schefter predicted (as the Patriots will go on the clock shorty afterward).

Of course, to pry the third pick away from New England will—as Schefter admitted—require “a lot.” The Vikings have more high-level picks to potentially trade, but the Giants (already holding the sixth pick) are closer.

The other intrigue Schefter contributed to was which quarterback the Patriots might want to pick.

“Maybe J.J. McCarthy goes three,” Schefter said. He forecasted that if the Vikings trade into the third spot, he believes Minnesota will pick Maye. But with the Patriots, he acknowledged that McCarthy, fresh off winning a national championship with Michigan, could also be considered.

“I think if New England stays, it’s a question,” Schefter posited, adding that “J.J. McCarthy does have support in that building.”

With only hours before the start of the momentous draft, the insider said he believes the Patriots aren’t necessarily all-in on one quarterback prospect.

“I think New England likes a few different quarterbacks there.”

Trivia: Can you name all five quarterbacks selected in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft?

(Answer at the bottom).

Hint: They were taken by (in order) the Browns, Jets, Bills, Cardinals, and Ravens.

Scores and schedules:

The Celtics lost to the Heat 111-101 in Game 2 of the first-round playoff series on Wednesday night. The series is now tied 1-1 heading into Game 3 in Miami on Saturday at 6 p.m.

The Bruins defeated the Maple Leafs 4-2 in Game 3 of their own first-round playoff matchup. Boston, now leading the series 2-1, will be in Toronto for Game 4 on Saturday at 8 p.m.

The Red Sox got an 8-0 win over the Guardians, with Cooper Crisswell, Joely Rodriguez, and Zach Wheeler combining to pitch a shutout. The two teams conclude the three-game series this afternoon at 1:10 p.m.

Also from Wednesday, PWHL Boston lost to Ottawa 3-2.

More from Boston.com:

• Readers: What should the Patriots do in the NFL Draft?
• Celtics face familiar discomfort in Game 2 loss to Heat: 8 takeaways
• Takeaways: Brad Marchand enters takeover mode in Game 3 win
• ‘It’s an art’: Brad Marchand delivers vintage pest performance against Maple Leafs in Game 3
• Connor Wong homers twice, Rafael Devers connects for solo shot as Red Sox hammer Guardians 8-0
• NFL insider provided context behind report about Jonathan Kraft’s role in Patriots’ draft
• NFL insider provided context behind report about Jonathan Kraft’s role in Patriots’ draft
• Red Sox place Brayan Bello on 15-Day injured list
• Bill Belichick’s next steps: ‘Manningcast,’ book deals reportedly on the horizon

Looking back at the 2023 draft: Patriots wide receiver Demario Douglas shared his recollections from the draft process. Douglas was a sixth-round pick (210th overall).

On this day: In 1993, the Patriots selected quarterback Drew Bledsoe first overall in the NFL Draft. Having gone a combined 9-39 in the preceding three seasons, New England needed a new start.

Echoing the team’s current predicament, the Patriots remained unsure of which quarterback would be picked (either Bledose or Notre Dame standout Rick Mirer).

Eventually–after holding the football world in suspense—new head coach Bill Parcells opted for Bledsoe, a decision that would help jumpstart the franchise’s turnaround.

Daily highlight: Atalanta forward Gianluca Scamacca delivered his latest highlight-worthy goal in a 4-1 Coppa Italia win over Fiorentina on Wednesday.

Trivia answer: Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold, Josh Allen, Josh Rosen, Lamar Jackson