Here’s what Jerod Mayo thinks the Patriots under Bill Belichick would’ve done in the 2024 NFL Draft
"Like Bill, I believe in draft-and-develop long-term."
Jerod Mayo’s take on how Bill Belichick would’ve handled the 2024 draft: Newly-appointed Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo is well aware of the continual comparisons he’s going to receive.
His predecessor (and former boss), Bill Belichick, still casts a long shadow over all things New England football. And while he has already taken deliberate steps to differentiate himself from the previous regime, Mayo appears to know that every decision he makes will be viewed through the prism of “what would Belichick have done in this situation?”
When it comes to the recent NFL Draft, this particular hypothetical centers around the invariably consequential choice to draft quarterback Drake Maye with the third overall pick. A sizable portion of Patriots fans, even those who agree with the front office call to select Maye, will inevitably think about how Belichick might have done it differently.
In a recent interview with Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network, Mayo tried to put himself in the mind of Belichick. Unsurprisingly, he imagined a more conservative strategy.
“With Bill, we probably would have traded back to get more picks,” Mayo told Wolfe. “Our path for so long has been accumulating more picks because it was our process. And we still believe in that. But we also believe when you’re at a position at No. 3, you have to get it right and get a cornerstone player.”
Desperately in need of a quarterback, New England opted for Maye (after fellow quarterbacks Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels went first and second, respectively).
Mayo obviously has a good handle on Belichick’s draft tendencies, as he not only played (and worked) under the ex-Patriots coach, but was selected by New England in 2008 after the team traded back from the seventh pick to the 10th.
But for all of the differences between old and new, some values remain constant.
“Like Bill, I believe in draft-and-develop long-term,” Mayo explained. “It’s always good to have a quarterback on a rookie deal. At the same time, I don’t want to get into the game of, ‘I really like this guy, let me trade back 3 picks to pick something up.’ No, just take him. If we feel like he’s an impact player, then take him.”
Trivia: Jerod Mayo was picked 10th overall by the Patriots in the 2008 NFL Draft. Who was the first quarterback selected in that year’s draft?
(Answer at the bottom).
Hint: He recently joined ‘NFL Today’ on CBS.
Scores and schedule:
The Bruins lost to the Maple Leafs 2-1 in overtime of Game 5 on Tuesday. Boston, still leading Toronto 3-2 in the playoff series, will play Game 6 on the road on Thursday at 8 p.m.
The Red Sox defeated the Giants 4-0 on Tuesday, with starter Cooper Criswell combining with four other Boston pitchers to complete the shutout win. The two teams play again today 7:10 p.m.
The Celtics host the Heat tonight at 7:30 p.m. for Game 5 of the first-round playoff matchup. Boston leads Miami 3-1 in the series, and can advance with a win.
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- Tyrese Maxey saves 76ers from elimination with huge finish in OT win that cuts Knicks’ lead to 3-2
Bees! When Tuesday’s Dodgers-Diamondbacks game was delayed due to a beehive, local beekeeper Matt Hilton was called away from his son’s tee-ball game to deal with the issue.
After taking of the bees, Hilton was given a standing ovation and threw out the first pitch:
On this day: In 2006, the Red Sox re-acquired catcher Doug Mirabelli shortly before knuckleballer Tim Wakefield’s start against the Yankees that day. Mirabelli, having developed a rapport with Wakefield (and earning a reputation as a catcher adept at handling the specialized pitch), was famously given a special escort to get him to Fenway Park on time.
Though it was perhaps a slight abuse of power on behalf of multiple Boston municipalities, no one seemed to complain as Mirabelli got a police escort, arriving just in time. He scrambled through putting his uniform on in the car.
Thanks in part to seven solid innings from the late, great Wakefield (helped by Mirabelli), the Red Sox got a 7-3 win over the Yankees.
Daily highlight: Infielder Jared Triolo kept his focus and made the catch after a deflection for the Pirates on Tuesday.
Trivia answer: Matt Ryan
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