The New England Patriots still don't have a viable replacement for Tom Brady when he eventually retires after a Hall of Fame career, but Pro Football Focus projects the Pats will take their quarterback of the future in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft.
PFF's Mike Renner published his first 2019 NFL mock draft Monday, and he predicts the Patriots will select West Virginia quarterback Will Grier with their first-round pick (currently No. 29). Here's his explanation for the choice:
"The Pats nab their QB of the future. Grier has his issues, but he has NFL-level accuracy that can be molded over time. His 75.9 adjusted completion percentage is 11th best in the country."
Grier completed 67 percent of his passes for 3,864 yards, 37 touchdown passes and eight interceptions in 11 games for the Mountaineers this season. West Virginia went 8-3 and finished fourth in the Big 12 conference.
The Patriots have many different needs to address in the 2019 draft, and quarterback is one of them. New England took LSU quarterback Danny Etling in the seventh round last year, but he's unlikely to be Brady's successor.
Brady could play for several more seasons, in which case the Patriots' 2019 first-round pick should probably be used on a defensive player, but if the right QB is there, New England might as well roll the dice and try to hit gold. Grier's skill set certainly makes him an enticing player for the pro level.
Click here to download the new MyTeams App by NBC Sports! Receive comprehensive coverage of your teams and stream the Celtics easily on your device.
New England Patriots
NBC SPORTS BOSTON SCHEDULE