James White thinks Patriots should use No. 3 pick on this top prospect

"It just all depends [on] what their goal is as far as taking the franchise back to what it used to be."

Marvin Harrison Jr. is projected to be a No. 1 wideout at the NFL level. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

January 23, 2024

2 minutes to read

The Patriots will have no shortage of options when it comes to adding a blue-chip prospect to their roster via the 2024 NFL Draft.

With New England holding onto the third-overall pick in the draft, the Patriots will be in a position to select a coveted quarterback prospect — whether it be reigning Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels or UNC signal caller Drake Maye.

Landing a franchise fixture at the most important position in football stands as the fastest avenue toward righting the ship in Foxborough and getting the Patriots back on the road to contention.

But with New England coming off a woeful 4-13 season where its offense averaged just 13.9 points per game, the Patriots are in desperate need of playmakers all over the depth chart in 2024.

And if former Patriots running back James White was going to make the pick at No. 3 overall, he thinks the most talented player on the board is Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr.

“I love Marvin Harrison Jr., so I’m 100% in on that pick. I can see them drafting a quarterback, as well. It just all depends [on] what their goal is as far as taking the franchise back to what it used to be,” White said during an appearance on MassLive’s “Eye on Foxborough” podcast. “I don’t think they can go wrong with either pick.

“They can try and trade up to No. 1, or they could just stay at No. 3. I don’t know what their plan is. There’s a lot of talented quarterbacks in this draft from guys who potentially can go in the first round, or guys that can go second or third round. I think there’s a lot of depth to the quarterback position.”

Even though a QB like Daniels or Maye could offer a higher ceiling for the Patriots given their role in conducting an offense, The Athletic’s NFL Draft analyst Dane Brugler noted earlier this year that Harrison Jr. is “arguably the best receiver prospect since Calvin Johnson.”

The 6-foot-4, 205-pound receiver torched defenses throughout his time with the Buckeyes — reeling in 144 catches for 2,474 yards and 29 touchdowns in his last two seasons.

If New England is not enamored with whichever QB falls to them at No. 3 overall, the Patriots could opt to take the top talent available in Harrison Jr. and either opt to draft a QB in another round — or try to sign a veteran in free agency like Baker Mayfield or Kirk Cousins.

“So I don’t think you have to get a guy at No. three, but hey, if they have a guy who they really feel like they can develop into a great quarterback, I can see them taking them,” White added when asked about the Patriots’ approach in the draft. “You can also get some good receivers in the second third round, as well.

“There’s a deep class of receivers, too. So it’s kind of pick your poison. There’s a lot of options out there. It will be interesting to see what direction they decide to go.”