New England Patriots: Early April 7-Round 2018 mock draft

I would be surprised if the New England Patriots went through the entire 2018 NFL Draft without taking a single quarterback prospect. After trading away Jimmy Garoppolo, they need to find someone who could potentially be groomed as Brady’s successor.

I could see the Pats snagging a quarterback in the first couple of rounds, with Lamar Jackson and Mason Rudolph both being interesting targets who would make sense. That being said, in this mock draft, the quarterback selection comes late in the third with a guy who would be a logical schematic fit.

Lauletta is a guy who reminds me a lot of Garoppolo when he came out. Similar to Garoppolo, Lauletta was an FCS quarterback who put up big-time production late in his college career. They were both smart and accurate passers who read opposing defenses well. The major difference between the two here is arm strength.

Garoppolo does not have an elite arm, but he certainly has enough to get the job done. Lauletta’s arm is average at best. He does well when asked to throw in the middle of the field, but he struggles to hit some out-breaking routes. Lauletta throws an accurate deep ball, but he can struggle to get it out ahead of his receivers at times.

Lauletta is a flawed quarterback prospect, but he is also a smart player who shows impressive overall playmaking ability. He would fit the Patriots offense well and give the team a guy who they could groom as the possible replacement to Brady.