Over the next four weeks WEEI.com will offer up 28 prospects who could be potential Patriots selections in the 2021 NFL Draft. While the top five projected overall prospects – Trevor Lawrence, Zach Wilson, Ja’Marr Chase, Kyle Pitts and Penei Sewell – won’t be included, all other players at all positions will be considered potential targets for Bill Belichick and his staff. Today, we kick things off with one of the top dual-threat quarterbacks in the draft class.
Justin Fields
QB Ohio State
6-3, 227
Resume: Fields was a two-year starter with a 20-2 record for the Buckeyes after transferring from Georgia, leading Ohio State to the College Football Playoff both years and the National Championship Game this past season. Unlike other top passing prospects such as BYU’s Zach Wilson and North Dakota State’s Trey Lance, Fields has multiple years of successful starting experience under his belt against high-level competition. During his career he completed 68.4 percent of his passes for 5,701 yards with 67 touchdowns and just nine interceptions. Fields also rushed for 19 touchdowns, including 10 in 2019. Fields threw for 385 yards and six touchdowns in the CFP upset of Trevor Lawrence and Clemson before falling to Alabama in the title game this past January. The Georgia native was a two-time Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year before announcing he was leaving school to enter the 2021 NFL Draft.
Pre-Draft Buzz: Fields put up crazy-fast 40 times with a reported 4.45 and 4.43 at Ohio State’s recent pro day, which would rank among the fastest in NFL Combine history for his position. … Daniel Jeremiah of NFLN noted there’s been a “lot of rumors” that the Patriots are “really high” on Fields. … Conversely, Senior Bowl Director and former New England scout Jim Nagy declared recently on WEEI that, “I don’t see Justin Fields as a great fit in the Patriots system — at least the Patriots system I know and being around Josh [McDaniels] and what he’s like to do in the past.” … For whatever it’s worth, Bill Belichick and McDaniels chose to attend Alabama’s pro day rather than Ohio State’s last week, with New England’s observations of Fields’ work coming via Patriots scouting consultant Eliot Wolf.
Why Fields fits the Patriots’ needs: Fields is a modern NFL QB with the ability to beat a defense with both his arm and his legs, even if he doesn’t necessarily play to his 40 time. While Ohio State doesn’t have a rich history developing pro quarterbacks, Fields is a different type of prospect who checks off all the boxes. Let’s be honest, New England is in search of a long term option at the quarterback position and depending on how things shake down atop the 2021 NFL Draft, Fields could be a legitimate option though it would likely require a trade at least into the top 10 selections. Fields certainly isn’t Tom Brady, but that doesn’t mean he wouldn’t be a good fit for McDaniels as the Patriots offensive coordinator moves into a new era of New England offense. Fields has the potential upside to be an NFL star and true, modern franchise QB.