The New England Patriots made a late move in the 2022 NFL Draft that could prove to be highly beneficial down the road. The Patriots took QB Bailey Zappe with the 137th pick in the 4th round. New England was not expected to take a QB in round 4 but they decided to roll with Zappe, who was a standout at Western Kentucky. He features plenty of talent and projects to be a backup for Mac Jones.

Despite not receiving much national attention in college, Zappe was extremely productive. He threw for over 5,600 passing yards and a jaw-dropping 62 touchdowns in his final college season.

NFL insider Ian Rapoport shared a few notes from scouting evaluators in regards to Bailey Zappe.

Zappe reportedly has a high I.Q. and quick release. The flag football evaluation speaks to his ability to make things happen even when a play falls apart. Obviously, if his ceiling is “backup forever” then that may not be the most exciting news for Patriots fans. But Zappe has the talent to emerge as a starting QB. Any quarterback who features the ability make intelligent plays under pressure always has an opportunity to exceed expectations.

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But why would Mac Jones have any cause for concern if Zappe is expected to be his backup?

Teams don't typically take quarterbacks this high in a draft after drafting a QB the season before, unless the QB they drafted in the year prior failed to impress. Jones played fairly well in his rookie season, as he threw for 22 touchdowns and over 3,800 passing yards. But he still faced criticism.

So Mac Jones might not be the happiest camper after seeing the Patriots spend a fourth round pick on Bailey Zappe. His position as starting QB is safe for now, but the decision to draft an impressive QB places a bit more pressure on him than he originally anticipated.