It's officially the draft season for New England Patriots fans as the team currently sits at 2-10. The starting QB, former 15th overall pick Mac Jones, has been officially benched, and with mounting disappointing performances, the Patriots are likely looking to hit the reset button at the quarterback position. Rumors of a mutual parting of ways between head coach Bill Belichick and team owner Robert Kraft suggest the team could face an even bigger overhaul. Regardless of the coaching situation, the offense requires a significant overhaul that goes beyond just the quarterback position. 

Offensively, the Patriots are setting records of incompetency. They became the first team since 1938 to lose three consecutive games despite holding the opposing team to 10 points or less. It is also the first time in the franchise's 64-year history that they have been shut out twice in the same season. The disappointment doesn't stop there, the 2023 Patriots offense is averaging the least points per game by any team since the 2011 St. Louis Rams. Hard to overstate just how bad the offense is. 

The Patriots are primed for a quick turnaround, but it will require several good personnel decisions—something that has been missing for several years now. Whoever is making decisions for the team will have approximately $70,000,000 to $80,000,000 in available cap space, coupled with what is expected to be a top-three draft pick. There is also the potential compensation the team could receive in a Bill Belichick trade.

Mock drafts are obviously not a science, but they do hold value as predictors of where players may potentially go in the draft based on what people may hear around the league. Not to mention, they make for a fun pastime in the interim and allow our imaginations to get creative.

This is what the experts are saying:

PFF

PFF's Trevor Sikkema has the Patriots taking QB Drake Maye from University of North Carolina. Here is what he had to say about the selection: 

"The Patriots are completely lost on offense, with no identity and no quarterback to build around. Maye has established himself as one of the top gunslingers in college football over the past two years. He made 38 big-time throws for an 8.7% big-time throw rate last season and has 32 such throws this year at a 7.5% clip. In both seasons, he recorded a sub-2.0% turnover-worthy play rate. Maye brings pro-level ability as a passer in all situations."

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CBS Sports

CBS Sport's Ryan Wilson has the Patriots trading up to select QB Caleb Williams from University of Southern California. Here is what he had to say about the selection: 

"Who knows what fate awaits Bill Belichick, but what seems much more certain is that the 2024 Patriots starting quarterback currently isn't on the roster. If the organization has two (or three) quarterbacks graded in a similar range, it could remain at No. 2. That said, if New England thinks Caleb Williams is special — and a head above the other passers in this class — then trading up could be on the table."

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Pro Football Network

Pro Football Network's A.J Schulte has the Patriots taking QB Drake Maye from University of North Carolina. Here is what he had to say about the selection: 

"While Bill Belichick’s status as head coach is uncertain, their quarterback room is a room without a solution. Over the last three weeks, the Patriots have not allowed more than 10 points and have lost each game. They haven’t had a 300-yard passer since Week 1. Something has to change in that room, making Drake Maye a potential ideal fit in this spot."

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The Athletic 

The Athletic's Dane Brugler has the Patriots taking QB Drake Maye from University of North Carolina. Here is what he had to say about the selection:
_{Note: Brugler's mock draft was posted six days ago and the Patriots held the third overall pick at that point in time.} 

"With their quarterback situation in shambles, the Patriots have a bottom-five offense.

In his 24 years as head coach in New England, Bill Belichick has never drafted in the top five, but this season is certainly trending in that direction. That’s the bad news. The good news? This is a great draft for a quarterback-needy team to own an early pick. Maye is a young player and not without his faults, but he has promising talent and more big-time throws on his tape than any other passer in this class."

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WalterFootball

WalterFootball's Walt has the Patriots taking QB Drake Maye from University of North Carolina. Here is what he had to say about the selection:

"Mac Jones sucks. The Patriots weren’t in a position to land a franchise quarterback in previous versions, but they are now. They have to move on from Jones. Drake Maye is an athletic quarterback with good accuracy and field vision. His mechanics need a bit of work, but he’s still an elite quarterback prospect."

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That is the consensus from five major draft-centric websites with recent mock drafts. The consensus seems to reinforce the notion that an upgrade at QB is not an 'if' but a 'must.' The Patriots have only five games left to play, and the goal should be short-term losses for long-term gain. Despite being 2-10, the Patriots have not been mathematically eliminated from the playoffs. They could be officially eliminated from playoff contention with a loss on Thursday night against the Kenny Pickett-less Pittsburgh Steelers.