Patriots select WKU QB Bailey Zappe in 4th round after record-breaking season

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The New England Patriots have drafted a quarterback for the second consecutive year.

The Patriots selected Western Kentucky QB Bailey Zappe with the 137th overall pick in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft on Saturday afternoon.

Zappe joins a quarterback depth chart in New England that includes starter Mac Jones, backup Brian Hoyer and 2019 draft pick Jarrett Stidham.

Zappe had an unreal stat line during the 2021 season, completing 69.2 percent of his pass attempts for 5,967 yards with 62 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. 

He broke Cincinnati Bengals quarterback and former LSU star Joe Burrow's FBS single-season passing touchdowns record. Zappe also was named 2021 Conference USA MVP.

Zappe was one of the quarterbacks on NBC Sports Boston insider Phil Perry's Prototypical Patriots list. Here is part of what Perry wrote about the WKU standout:

"He looks like he has the potential to be a functional, long-term NFL backup. One AFC quarterbacks coach compared Zappe to Nick Mullens, who's also just a shade over 6-feet and has arm strength issues the way Zappe likely will (by the way, Josh McDaniels and Dave Ziegler just signed Mullens in Vegas). Zappe loves football. He's smart. He's accurate. He makes good decisions. But his ceiling could be severely hampered by his arm."

The Patriots drafting a quarterback just one year after selecting Jones in the first round is not too surprising. Tom Brady became the starter in 2001 and the Patriots still drafted a quarterback in 2002 (Rohan Davey), 2003 (Kliff Kingsbury) and 2005 (Matt Cassel).

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