I don't know what kind of poker player New England Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo is, but I do know that unlike Lady Gaga's, I can read Mayo's poker face.

In an interview with WBZ, the CBS News affiliate station in Boston, the new Patriots head coach was asked about his excitement for April's NFL Draft, the first in which Mayo will be the primary shot-caller for the Patriots. Mayo's response did not necessarily leave much to the imagination:

Now sure, Jerod Mayo didn't come right out and say that the Patriots would be selecting a quarterback with the 3rd overall pick, but I went ahead and, as Mayo suggested, put the pieces together and arrived at the conclusion that Mayo's message screams “we're taking a quarterback.” The question now becomes, will the Patriots be content to stand pat (no pun intended) and select the best player available with the 3rd pick, potentially missing out on Caleb Williams and Drake Maye, or will New England inquire about making a Godfather offer to Chicago for the #1 overall pick in order to ensure they get their guy? This decision likely hinges on two developments over the next couple of months:

  1. What do the Chicago Bears decide to do with Justin Fields?
  2. Will LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels do enough during the NFL Draft Combine and LSU's pro day to establish himself as the “1C” alongside Caleb Williams and Drake Maye?

The answer to the first question will determine whether or not New England has the option of trading up from #3 to #1. If Chicago's plan is to keep Justin Fields, it would be reasonable to assume that Bears general manager Ryan Poles will spend the next two and a half months auctioning the #1 pick to the highest bidder. However, if Chicago is in business for Caleb Williams, with Washington likely taking a quarterback with the #2 pick, that leaves New England one pick short… unless Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels ascends like many draft analysts are expecting him to, in which case, the Patriots could stand pat (this time the pun was intended) and land their quarterback of the future with the 3rd overall pick in the NFL Draft.