NFL Draft notebook: What if Patriots don’t take a QB in Round 1? Here are 2021′s potential sleepers | Nick O’Malley Updated 9:35 AM; Today 7:53 AM From left to right: Kellen Mond, Texas A&M | Kyle Trask, Florida | Davis Mills, Stanford | Ian Book, Notre Dame | Jamie Newman, Wake Forest (AP Photos) Facebook Share It sounds easy in theory: Just trade up to grab one of the top-tier quarterbacks in Round 1, whether it’s Justin Fields, Trey Lance or Mac Jones. Boom, the New England Patriots are set at quarterback for the next decade. In practice, it’s not so simple. A trade up into the top five of this draft (or even the top 10) could cripple the Patriots’ draft prospects this year and next year. For a franchise that’s in dire need of some successes on the draft board (as even Robert Kraft has admitted), that’s a tall price to pay.