The Patriots have made some surprising picks during the 2022 NFL Draft so far. One of those came late in the fourth round, as they drafted a quarterback for the second consecutive season.
With the 137th pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, the Patriots selected Bailey Zappe. The Western Kentucky product may not be familiar to everyone, but he is coming off one of the greatest passing seasons in college football history.
Zappe transferred to Western Kentucky from FCS school Houston Baptist before the 2021 college season. In his first year in Hilltoppers' pass-happy spread offense, he set several FBS passing records, completing 69.2 percent of his passes for an NCAA-record 5,967 yards, 62 touchdowns and just 11 interceptions.
Zappe was considered a mid-round prospect and has developmental potential as an accurate and efficient NFL quarterback. But don't the Patriots already have one of those in Mac Jones? Indeed, they do, but the Zappe selection is less about Jones and more about the Patriots' backup quarterback situation.
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Why the Patriots drafted Bailey Zappe
The Patriots selected Zappe because they need a long-term answer at the backup quarterback spot. New England has long employed Brian Hoyer as its backup, but that won't last forever.
Hoyer is 36 and hasn't won a start since 2016. The Patriots have largely entrusted him as their No. 2 quarterback, but haven't been afraid to cut him when in need of a roster spot. That's why Hoyer has had three separate stints with the Patriots, interspersed throughout time spent with the Steelers, Cardinals, Browns, Texans, Bears, 49ers and Colts.
The Patriots may still be willing to trust Hoyer for a bit longer. They signed him to a two-year contract extension on eve of free agency, meaning he will be with the team through 2023. Still, the Patriots need to add youth at quarterback, and it doesn't seem like New England was willing to entrust former 2019 fourth-round pick Jarrett Stidham as a future backup.
Stidham was granted the chance to hold the backup position in 2019 behind Brady. However, since throwing an interception against the Jets in Week 3, the Patriots have given him just one pass attempt. They signed Newton and re-signed Hoyer during the 2020 offseason signaling that they weren't confident in Stidham's ability.
Now, the Patriots have drafted Zappe, and it seems likely that he will replace Stidham. Longer term, he will look to eventually become Hoyer's successor as well.
Zappe is a good fit for the Patriots. He still has a lot of growing to do after playing just one FBS season at a non-Power 5 conference in a quarterback-friendly spread offense, but the Patriots can take time to develop him. They are in no rush to find a new starter after Jones' solid rookie season.
Still, there is one key question about the selection of Zappe. Why did the Patriots take him instead of the consensus higher-rated prospect Sam Howell?
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Why did the Patriots take Bailey Zappe over Sam Howell?
The Patriots selected Zappe at 137th overall with Howell still on the board. Howell lasted seven picks longer, as he was taken off the board 144th overall with the first pick in Round 5.
There was a wide gap in the perception of Howell and Zappe. Howell was once considered to be a potential No. 1 pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, but he was widely expected to be a second-round pick after his senior season. Thanks to his strong arm, good mobility and tough playing style, Howell checked in at 56th overall on The Athletic's consensus big board.
Meanwhile, Zappe checked in at 147 on the consensus big board and was considered more of a mid-round sleeper. He has the ball placement skills needed to be a solid, decade-long NFL backup quarterback bare minimum, but some question what his ceiling will be.
Still, Zappe fit the draft range as a late fourth-round pick. He was a solid pickup by the Patriots, and Zappe drew rave reviews from evaluators ahead of the 2022 NFL Draft, as detailed by NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.
- “If I was picking a QB for my flag football team, my top choice.”
- “Insanely smart.”
- “Ball gets out of his hand so fast.”
- “Will be a great backup forever."
The Patriots tend to look for quarterbacks that release the ball quickly, so Zappe fits the bill in that regard. It's also notable that Howell's is labored by his mechanics a bit, so not only is it slower than Zappe's, but he also throws with less accuracy.
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Considering the value that the Patriots have historically put on those traits, it makes sense that they would eschew Howell and go with Zappe. Besides, they don't need as much upside with their quarterback pick anyway. They are looking for a long-term backup, and that's something that Zappe should pretty safely become at the NFL level.
And perhaps he'll turn into something more.
