One surprise leading up to the first round of the NFL Draft on Thursday has been the rise of West Virginia quarterback Will Grier. The quarterback has been viewed as a day-two pick for much of the draft process, but reports surfacing lately say he could hear his name called at the end of the first round.

One team that could select Grier is the New England Patriots, who are yet again looking for an heir apparent to Tom Brady.

The Patriots have shown a “ton of interest” in the West Virginia quarterback leading up to the 2019 NFL Draft, according to Tony Pauline of Draft Analyst. Pauline notes that Grier's stock has risen so much of late that his floor could now be in the middle clip of the second. New England picks No. 32 overall, the final pick in the first round, along with owning two seconds and three third rounders. If the Patriots want him, they will have plenty of chances to do so.

The reigning Super Bowl champions hosted Grier on a Top 30 visit earlier in the pre-draft process and Patriots director of player personnel Nick Caserio attended his Pro Day as well.

For the Mountaineers last season,  Grier completed 67% of his passes for 3,864 yards, 37 touchdowns, and eight interceptions. At the NFL Scouting Combine, Grier ran a 4.84 40-yard dash, recorded a 34-inch vertical, and a 112-inch broad jump. He also ran a 7.09 second 3 Cone Drill and a 4.28 20-yard shuttle.

West Virginia offensive coordinator Jake Spavital molded parts of his offense from the Patriots' playbook. That knowledge could make Grier an even more enticing option for New England, and give him an advantage if he ends up in Foxboro.