Patriots face franchise-altering decision with No. 3 pick in NFL Draft

For the first time in three decades, the Patriots have a top-3 pick in the NFL Draft, positioning them to make a franchise-altering decision tonight.

Why it matters: The Patriots have been searching for a new face of the franchise since Tom Brady left in 2020. In a strong draft for quarterback prospects, they could use their No. 3 pick to select one — or trade the pick for a haul of assets.

Here are some names you might soon see on jerseys all over town:

Likely unattainable: Caleb Williams, the former Oklahoma and University of Southern California phenom QB, is expected to be drafted by the Bears, who have the No. 1 pick.

Top contenders: The Pats have been linked to the next two QBs on most evaluators' rankings: University of North Carolina's Drake Maye and Louisiana State University's Jayden Daniels.

• Maye, who has a rocket arm and strong build, was one of the nation's elite passers before his productivity dipped last season.
• Daniels, who won the Heisman Trophy, is an explosive runner and passer. But scouts worry his narrow frame could make him injury-prone.

The wild card: A rising name among the QB crop is J.J. McCarthy, who led the University of Michigan to the National Championship last season.

• Playing in the Wolverines' run-heavy offense, McCarthy wasn't asked to pass as much as the other top prospects. But he played well on the biggest stages.

The intrigue: The Pats have reportedly hosted Maye and Daniels for visits in Foxborough. They haven't brought in McCarthy — but did host University of Washington QB Michael Penix .

• Penix, who led the Huskies to the College Football Playoff, isn't expected to be selected until the mid-first round or later.

Yes, but: He could be in play for New England if they trade their No. 3 pick, which would land them a bevy of additional picks, players or a mix of both.

What they're saying: "We're open to anything," Pats executive Eliot Wolf told reporters last week. "Moving up, moving down. We're open for business in the first round and in every round."