New England Patriots: 7-Round 2019 mock draft after Super Bowl 53
Whether it happens this offseason or not, Tom Brady is going to retire sooner rather than later. Since trading Jimmy Garoppolo, the Patriots have not had a long-term option at the quarterback position. Brian Hoyer is a viable backup quarterback, but he obviously isn’t any sort of long-term solution. With an abundance of picks in the 2019 NFL Draft, it would be nice to see the Pats taking a chance on a possible quarterback of the future.
To be honest, this quarterback class leaves plenty to be desired. There aren’t any obvious future star quarterbacks available, but there are a handful of guys who could quickly grow into viable starting options.
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Among those players is Boise State quarterback Brett Rypien. Rypien was a four-year starter at Boise State, playing in 51 games throughout his college career. For his college career, Rypien completed 64% of his passes for 13,578 yards, 90 touchdowns and 29 interceptions. His best season came last year as a senior, where he completed 67.3% of his passes for 3,705 yards, 30 touchdowns and seven interceptions.
Simply put, Rypien was one of the most production passers in college football last season. He is a smart and consistent passer who protects the ball well by not taking too many chances downfield. Rypien does not possess a big-time throwing arm, but he can put enough velocity on the ball to drive the ball downfield in short spaces. As far as NFL quarterbacks go, Rypien’s arm strength would likely be below average, but adequate.
Rypien can be a bit inconsistent with his throws, struggling with consistent accuracy to all levels. That being said, he shows impressive ability to put touch on his passes. Rypien seems to be able to get the ball anywhere he needs to, especially in the intermediate range.
Rypien does have some limited upside at the next level, but he is a consistent and reliable player who can make an impact. Snagging him in the compensatory third round would bring some much-needed long-term stability for the New England Patriots at the most important position on the field.