As the adage goes, “good things come to those who wait.” These words are very applicable to the New England Patriots in the first round of this year's NFL Draft. Standing pat at the 15th pick, Alabama's Mac Jones fell to New England's lap.

Patriots head coach Bill Belichick gave an update on who the starting quarterback next season will be, per Mike Reiss of ESPN NFL Nation

“Cam’s [Newton] our quarterback,” Belichick stated. “Whatever time Jarrett [Stidham] or Mac are ready to challenge and compete, then we’ll see how that goes.”

The Patriots are seen as the most secretive of all NFL teams and barely leak any information. Newton is on a one-year contract and is a former league MVP, so it makes sense for him to be QB1 on the depth chart. After a year of playing for New England, he should be more acclimated to playing in Belichick's system and provide a sense of stability to the franchise. 

Interestingly, Belichick mentioned Stidham ahead of Jones, but this does not necessarily mean that Stidham is ahead of Jones.

After all, one does not use a top-15 selection on someone who will be third in the pecking order. Compared to his fellow quarterback prospects, Jones is one of the most day-one ready. While he did play for a ridiculously stacked Alabama team, Jones displayed a high football IQ and an incredible understanding of the game and coverages. 

No matter how polished or refined a rookie quarterback is, playing behind a veteran would provide precious time to acclimate to the professional level.