Where is Mahomes’ next destination?

Published 6:56 pm Saturday, April 22, 2017

For the last few weeks, Patrick Mahomes II has seen America.

He has traveled all over the country working out and visiting with NFL teams, and taking time for Gruden’s QB Camp.

On Friday, Mahomes was in Tyler to watch some football as he took in the Tyler Junior College spring game with family and friends.

Next week, he will be heading to a new destination with his travel plans dictated by the 2017 NFL Draft.

“I’ve kind of been everywhere,” Mahomes said. “I’ve worked out here and in Lubbock and for several NFL teams.”

Now, the former Texas Tech and Whitehouse High School star quarterback is just ready to find out what uniform he will don when the NFL Draft takes place next week in the City of Brotherly Love.

The first round is set for 7 p.m. Thursday, followed by the second and third rounds at 6 p.m. Friday and fourth through seventh rounds at 11 a.m. Saturday. The draft will be broadcast on ESPN and the NFL Network.

The draft is scheduled to be held at the Philadelphia Museum of Art at Eakins Oval (along the Ben Franklin Parkway).

The player selections will be announced from an outdoor theatre built near the Rocky Steps.

While W.C. Fields would say, “I’d rather be in Philadelphia”, Mahomes is going to spend draft day in East Texas.

“I want to be with my family and friends,” said Mahomes, an academic All-America honoree and winner of the Sammy Baugh Trophy. “This is something I have dreamed about, getting to play in the NFL.”

It’s been a whirlwind for Mahomes as he took part in the NFL Combine in Indianapolis and also spent time with Super Bowl-winning coach and Monday Night Football broadcaster Jon Gruden for the Gruden Football Camp.

“It was a lot of fun,” Mahomes said of the Gruden Camp. “We spent four-and-a-half hours just talking. It was like he was my quarterback coach and I was his quarterback. It was a great experience.”

Gruden, known as a quarterback guru, calls Mahomes “the best quarterback in this class.”

Among the other highly rated QBs include Clemson’s Deshaun Watson, Notre Dame’s DeShon Kizer, North Carolina’s Mitchell Trubisky, Pittsburgh’s Nathan Peterman, Tennessee’s Joshua Dobbs and California’s Davis Webb.

Mahomes has all the tools to be a Super Bowl-winning quarterback. He has one of the strongest arms around, along with being very athletic and smart.

Sports Illustrated writes: “He has the arm to be a big-time NFL quarterback. His delivery is quick and compact, and he throws with velocity and precision. He moves well too, especially when he’s outside the pocket.”

The magazine says Mahomes would be perfect for a team “with a tightly managed, quick-strike passing scheme and a coach who will hold him accountable for undisciplined play.”

Most NFL projections have Mahomes, son of former major league pitcher Pat Mahomes and Randi Mahomes, going in the first round.

“A lot of NFL teams have told me they like me,” Mahomes said. “I really don’t know where I may be selected. I’m just excited to have the opportunity.”

His interviews and workouts have jetted him up the draft board.

Mahomes said among the teams he has met with include the Houston Texans, New Orleans Saints, Arizona Cardinals, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, New York Jets, Los Angeles Chargers, Chicago Bears, Seattle Seahawks, Cincinnati Bengals and Buffalo Bills.

Those teams need quarterbacks or will be in need of quarterbacks soon.

A number of teams desire quarterbacks, including one in his own backyard, the Houston Texans.

However the Texans are picking No. 25, but they could trade up.

Sports Illustrated thinks the Los Angeles Chargers would be a great place for Mahomes. Current quarterback Philip Rivers turns 36 in December. Rivers is still an elite QB, but as the magazine points out, he has eight children and may want to retire soon. Mahomes could learn under new coach Anthony Lynn’s offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt.

Mahomes said he wouldn’t mind waiting to start by backing up a current QB and learning the system.

He told NFL.com: “I would just train like I was going into the season as the starter. And then when I got my opportunity, I’d be ready to go. You look at Dak (Prescott, Dallas Cowboys QB), he did not expect to start immediately, but he really trained so he was gonna be ready when the time came and it did.”

The Chargers have the seventh pick.

Some other mock drafts have Mahomes going 12th to Cleveland, 13th to Arizona and No. 17 to Washington. Both the Jets at No. 6 and Buffalo at No. 10 could sure use a strong-armed quarterback to throw in windy northeast. Then there is the Saints’ Drew Brees, who is 38. New Orleans would be a great fit. The Saints are picking No. 11.

Could the Giants be interested in a grooming a QB to follow Eli Manning? The New York Football Giants pick No. 23.

Kansas City would love taking Mahomes at No. 27 and Pittsburgh comes in at No. 30 and how much longer will Ben Roethlisberger, 35, continue playing?

Any of these teams would love to have Mahomes as the face of their franchise.

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