One NFL writer is not high on the New England Patriots‘ selection of quarterback Behern Morton in the seventh round of last week’s NFL draft. Bleacher Report’s Brent Soboleski labeled it as one of the worst picks in the draft, and made his case overall.
New England had nine draft picks in this year’s draft. They added pieces on both sides of the football, with offensive tackle Caleb Lomu being the first selection. They also added high-upside picks such as Texas A&M offensive tackle Dametrious Crownover. It seemed as though the organization left no stone unturned in this draft, and that included the quarterback position.
However, Soboleski was not a fan of what the Patriots did in the draft overall, and made his case abundantly clear.
“The New England Patriots spent a seventh-round pick on a backup quarterback option with little physical upside when other, better possibilities remained on the board,” Sobleski wrote on Thursday.
Morton Brings Talent To Patriots
To be fair, Morton was a highly successful college football quarterback. He played at Texas Tech for five seasons and was one of the best players in program history. He finished fourth all-time in passing yards with 8,989. He had 71 touchdown passes over the course of those five years.
The 2025 season was a particularly strong one for him. He was able to put the proverbial cherry on top of what was a solid college career. He threw for 2,780 yards, 22 touchdowns, and six interceptions. The quarterback led Texas Tech to their first outright conference title since 1955. The playmaker did so in an efficient way as well. Is 66% completion rate led the Big 12.
Morton certainly comes to Gillette Stadium with an impressive college resume. It’s also worth mentioning the role he might take. Morton figures to be the third-string quarterback behind starter Drake Maye and Tommy DeVito. At the very least, this fills out the Patriots quarterback room, as they now have three in the fold.
Morton Clear On Role For Patriots
It’s also worth noting that Morton knows what his role will be with the Patriots. He had a hilarious quote following the draft in which he noted that he would do anything to help Maye, including getting his coffee. Morton knows he will have to work his way up the depth chart to see the field.
If anything, this is a low-risk, high-reward selection for the Patriots. They needed another quarterback in the room. Morton fits the bill for what they want to accomplish. Of course, the team could have added additional playmakers in other areas. However, a quarterback, for however minimal it was, was a need.
It will be anything to see what Morton brings to the table, based on just his pedigree alone. He certainly has the knowledge and ability to perform at a high level. The quarterback did as much at Texas Tech. Of course, one has to wonder how his game will translate to the NFL. With that being said, this is certainly a good pickup for the Patriots as it relates to depth. You can never be too sure about a specific position in the NFL. Even the best depth can disappear quickly. The Patriots are taking their chances at an all-important position.
Patriots Take Heat After Analyst Rips “Low-Upside” Draft Choice