Patriots shake things up by taking QB early

Here’s where things get fun.

The Patriots could have added another cornerback early, or they could have gone after another receiver. But they make a surprise selection at No. 46 by taking quarterback Hendon Hooker from the University of Tennessee.

Jones probably won’t like this pick much, but then again, he’s entering a year where he’s going to have to step it up and prove he’s worthy of the franchise quarterback title in New England.

Hooker is still recovering from a torn ACL, which means he may not be in a position to compete right out of the gates. So it’ll be the Jones and Bailey Zappe show early on. But when Hooker is ready, he would give the Patriots one of the new breed of quarterbacks—a legitimate dual threat as both a runner and passer.

You can’t tell me Belichick hasn’t looked at guys like Patrick Mahomes, Jalen Hurts and Josh Allen and wondered what if.