The New England Patriots came into the 2020 NFL season hoping to help Cam Newton rejuvenate his career. While Newton did not play horribly, the season did not go as either side was hoping. Now, it appears like that the Patriots will move on from Newton, but they should already have their sights set on drafting Trey Lance in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft.
Let’s be real, there was one major plus for the Patriots with Newton as their starting quarterback. Bill Belichick, Josh McDaniels, and the rest of the Patriots’ coaching staff enjoyed having a quarterback who could beat defenses with his legs.
Newton ended up carrying the ball a career-high 137 times for 592 yards and 12 touchdowns. However, he only threw for 2,657 yards, eight touchdowns, and 10 interceptions.
Bringing in a young quarterback like Lance would be exactly what the Patriots need. Lance can still beat teams with his legs, but he has a much more talented arm than Newton has ever had.
CBS Sports also thinks the Patriots should target Trey Lance. They explained what New England could do with the No. 15 overall pick.
The Patriots need a QB and the biggest question might be whether one will be available at No. 15. There’s a chance Lawrence, Wilson, Fields, Lance and even Mac Jones are all off the board. If not, Lance could have the highest upside, even though he comes from an FCS program and only played one season.
Daniel Jeremiah, a well respected NFL Draft analyst, compared Lance to Andrew Luck recently. It’s a comparison that has made quite a few fans and media members alike turn their heads.
He reminds me of: Andrew Luck. I know Luck is a little bit bigger, but they are similar athletes and they both played with a maturity beyond their age at the collegiate level. I remember watching Luck run over defenders. I also remember being so impressed with his ability to execute on key plays in every game. I see the same things when I study Lance.
During the 2020 season at North Dakota State, Lance only played in one game. He completed 15 of his 30 passes for 149 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception. Lance also picked up 143 yards and two touchdowns on the ground in that one appearance.
Back in 2019, Lance put up massive numbers. He completed 66.9 percent of his pass attempts for 2,786 yards, 28 touchdowns, and no interceptions. Lance also recorded 1,100 yards and 14 touchdowns on the ground.
Standing in at 6-foot-4 and nearly 230 pounds, Lance is not a small quarterback. He has great size to go along with his athleticism. That would be of interest for the Patriots.
So, with all of that being said, New England should strongly look at taking Lance in the 2021 NFL draft. Belichick needs a new long-term quarterback and Trey Lance should be his guy. It would be a match made in heaven.
There are other options the Patriots could go with, but Lance at No. 15 would make a ton of sense.