Patriots coach Jerod Mayo breaks down 2024 draft class

Jerod Mayo sat down after his first NFL draft as a head coach Saturday night and didn’t take long to get to the heart of what the Patriots’ tried to achieve with their latest rookie class.

Related Articles

New England Patriots |


Patriots UDFA tracker: Center, cornerback added after draft

New England Patriots |


Patriots use Day 3 of 2024 NFL Draft to acquire more offensive talent

New England Patriots |


Patriots close out draft by selecting ‘super athletic’ tight end Jaheim Bell

New England Patriots |


Rocket-armed Patriots QB Joe Milton has no interest in changing positions

New England Patriots |


Patriots draft QB Joe Milton in sixth round, ‘swing on upside’

“Hopefully we never have to pick at (No.) 3 again,” Mayo said.

To that end, after selecting North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye on Thursday night and adding a wide receiver and offensive tackle Friday, the Pats continued to replenish their offensive depth. Mayo broke down most draft picks in a video conference with reporters, stressing all rookies will need to earn their roster spots through competition.

That started again Saturday with fourth-round rookies Layden Robinson, an offensive guard from Texas A&M, and Javon Baker, an explosive wideout out of UCF. Baker made waves later that afternoon with his first comments as a Patriot — telling fans to bring their popcorn and saying he would make people stand out of wheelchairs; which Mayo seemed to attribute to the 22-year-old’s love of the game.

“He’s all ball,” Mayo said. “You can see the passion come through when you watch him on film.”

Speaking about Robinson, a career right guard now joining a crowded depth chart, Mayo addressed the matter of his position, as well as the Pats’ other new offensive linemen. Mayo said he deferred to offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt and offensive line coach Scott Peters during the draft process, when the Patriots apparently determined third-round offensive tackle Caedan Wallace can also switch positions.

“We’re in the business of bringing in good players and breeding competition. … When it’s all said and done we want to put the best five (offensive linemen) out there,” Mayo said.

Mayo added sixth-round Tennessee quarterback Joe Milton will get a chance to compete with Maye at quarterback, while understanding Maye was drafted third for a season. Milton’s arm strength was unrivaled in this class, but other parts of his game caused him to fall.

Moments before the Pats drafted Milton, they selected South Carolina cornerback Marcellas Dial. Mayo admitted the team was nervous that Dial would get taken off the board before their pick at No. 180 overall. Why?

He resembles many Patriots defensive backs over the years: versatile and capable in man-coverage.

“We see him as a versatile player,” Mayo said. “A guy that can do it all.”

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

Previous post Baseball/softball notebook: Steve Lomasney now making news coaching Peabody
Next post Sigma Planning Corp Sells 974 Shares of iShares 3-7 Year Treasury Bond ETF (NASDAQ:IEI)