You want explanations of why the Pats would spend a second round pick on a quarterback? I’m at a loss as well. I didn’t go too heavy on the QBs in my draft research.
Did I think it was a possibility? Sure. In the second round? Nope.
What does my crack internet research tell me? That Garoppolo makes quick reads, has a quick release and will need time to develop. Well, he’ll have that in New England. But I’m pretty sure Brady got a surge of adrenalin as soon as the pick was made.
Now the question is whether Mallett gets moved. I’ve never been a big fan of Mallett’s. Big arm. Bad touch. Not much progress in three seasons. So I’d be fine swapping Garappolo for him, though I don’t think it’s necessarily a lock Mallett gets traded.
I’ll start doing more digging on Garappolo but what is there to say? The Pats blew our minds in the second round once again.
Here’s NFL.com’s bottom line (that won’t make you feel better):
BOTTOM LINE
A decorated FCS passer, Garoppolo could excite quarterback coaches with his quick delivery, mental make-up and work habits, yet he still needs to prove he can fit the ball into tight windows and do more than carve up soft shells the way he regularly did on his way to a record-breaking performance in college. Possesses the physical tools to eventually earn an NFL starting job in a rhythm passing game with continued refinement but is more of a caretaker than a game changer and will require some patience adapting to the NFL game.