Patriots fans have a clear preference for the No. 3 overall pick in the NFL Draft

The Patriots are in a prime position to improve their quarterback situation.

The New England Patriots are set to be on the clock tonight early in the 2024 NFL Draft as they hold the No. 3 overall pick. The decision will be a huge one as New England will likely select their potential franchise quarterback or trade down to add assets to kick start the rebuild.

Patriots fans, however, have made up their mind on what they would do with the selection. According to SB Nation’s latest Reacts survey, 56 percent of voters opted for sticking at No. 3 and picking North Carolina’s Drake Maye. 28 percent of fans instead opted for the trade down path.

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Maye projects to be the top available quarterback when the Patriots are on the clock, as signs continue to point to USC’s Caleb Williams and LSU’s Jayden Daniels going No. 1 and 2, respectively. While the 21-year old has all the physical traits teams look for in a quarterback prospect, Maye has also impressed New England’s brass behind the scenes throughout several meetings in the pre-draft process.

“Look, Drake Maye had a fantastic interview at the combine,” head coach Jerod Mayo said last month. “He brings a lot of energy, you can tell he has that leadership ability. And also the exciting part about a guy like Drake Maye is the ceiling. Like, there really is no ceiling with a guy like that.”

Beyond Maye, the other quarterback that could be in play at No. 3 is Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy. Despite posting a 27-1 record as a starter in college and being fresh off a National Championship victory, he remains lower on Patriots’ fans wish list.

Fans also seemed dead-set on a quarterback if making the selection at No. 3, as opting for a positional player — such as wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. or offensive tackle Joe Alt — received just 5 percent of the votes.

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