The New England Patriots have had an interesting 2022 NFL Draft to this point.
The team took Tennessee-Chattanooga offensive lineman Cole Strange with the 29th overall pick, which many saw as a bit of a reach, including Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay and general manager Les Snead, who publicly criticized the pick.
Things have not changed on Day 3, as the team seemingly made another surprising move when they took quarterback Bailey Zappe out of Western Kentucky with their 137th overall pick.
https://twitter.com/Patriots/status/1520458099664080896
Many around the NFL world are certainly critical of the pick considering the team just took quarterback Mac Jones in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft, and believe that the Patriots have far more pressing needs over another backup quarterback.
the Patriots pick of QB Bailey Zappe doesn't bode well for Mac Jones
or is just flat out odd
the only times since 1990 a team:
drafted a QB top-15, then
used ANOTHER pick on a QB the next year in the top-140:
HOU: David Carr then Dave Ragone
NE: Mac Jones then Bailey Zappe
— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) April 30, 2022
can't wait for Khalil Shakir to put up something like an 8-138-2 line against the Patriots in December 2024 while we get to watch Bailey Zappe relay hand signals to Mac Jones from the sidelines
— Christian D'Andrea (@TrainIsland) April 30, 2022
Patriots going Bailey Zappe while Tariq Woolen and Kingsley Enagbare were still available is interesting. Especially with guys like Skylar Thompson and Jack Coan not going anywhere, those can be solid backups and good "on field coaches" taken later.
— George Balekji (@GeorgeBalekji) April 30, 2022
Others are confused that the Patriots went with Zappe over North Carolina quarterback Sam Howell, who is seen by most draft experts as a far better NFL prospect.
I'll say there are scouts and execs around the league confused by what the Patriots are doing in the draft.
There's a lot of surprise over NE picking QB Bailey Zappe over Sam Howell.
— Doug Kyed (@DougKyed) April 30, 2022
Bailey Zappe the fifth QB off the board. What in Sam Howell?
— Joe Person (@josephperson) April 30, 2022
Zappe is best well known for his 2021 season at Western Kentucky, which was truly historic.
In his one season at the program, he set the NCAA record for passing yards and passing touchdowns in a season, throwing for 5,967 yards and 62 touchdowns.
Zappe also tested as the best quarterback in the draft class in the Wonderlic test, which is a test of quarterbacks’ mental and cognitive abilities.
This selection also most likely means that the team does not feel that former 2019 draft pick Jarrett Stidham is a capable backup and that he may be a candidate to be cut or traded before the 2022 season.
