Besides Michigan linebacker Jonas Mouton being selected in the second round by the San Diego Chargers, the NFL Draft choice with the most Wolverine flavor was former quarterback Ryan Mallett being chosen as a potential heir apparent to Tom Brady in New England.

Michigan fans remember Mallett, who played one year in Ann Arbor before transferring to Arkansas when he didn’t fit into new coach Rich Rodriguez’s spread option system.

And Brady? He was that guy who battled to keep a starting spot at Michigan before marrying supermodel Gisele Bundchen (and accomplishing a thing or two on the field, too).

The irony was thick when New England chose Mallett with the 10th pick of the third round on Friday, No. 74 overall.

Ryan Mallett, who played his freshman season at Michigan, was chosen in the third round of the NFL Draft by the New England Patriots. There, he could eventually replace another former Michigan quarterback, Tom Brady.

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Tim Graham of ESPN.com compared Mallett’s drop in the draft -- he had first-round ability, but off-the-field questions -- to what Brady faced in 2000.

Brady’s draft day experience was recently recounted in “Brady 6,” an ESPN documentary about the quarterbacks selected before him.

Graham writes:

Perhaps "Mallett 6" already is playing on a loop inside the rookie's head.

If not, then you can imagine Brady whispering constant reminders in Mallett's ear about being driven to prove all the doubters wrong and to show the world he's better than Cam Newton and Jake Locker and Blaine Gabbert and Christian Ponder and Andy Dalton and Colin Kaepernick.

Mallett can do that in New England.

If he wants it badly enough.

"It's an opportunity for me to learn from him and further my knowledge under that coaching staff," Mallett said of Brady late Friday night. "It was something I'm really excited about when I got the call. I can't wait to get started."

Or maybe, as Graham’s ESPN colleague Adam Schefter pointed out on Twitter Saturday morning, Mallett is destined to become a part of the post-draft Brady 6:

“Ryan Mallett is the 6th QB drafted by Pats since 2001, which was Tom Brady’s 1st year as a starter. None of other 5 QBs are on Pats’ roster.”

Mallett was asked in a teleconference if he sees himself as Brady’s successor.

His reply: “I mean, I think that's any players' plan that's a backup -- to take over once the guy in front of him is done, or whatever. So that's what I'm going to work to do. I'm going to prepare myself every week of the season like I'm the starter. That's how you've got to be as second or third string. You never know what's going to happen. There have been teams that lose two or three quarterbacks in one game, so every week I'll prepare myself like I'm starting the game.”

The Boston Globe’s Karen Guregian said the Patriots’ Bill Belichick “blew the lid off Radio City Music Hall” with the selection of Mallett.

She writes that the pick illustrates why Belichick is one of the “shrewdest operators in the business:”

You want sizzle? You want spice? You want the ultimate roll of the dice? Try Ryan Mallett.

While teams were scrambling for quarterbacks all over the board, jumping all over each other for kids who just might not be that good, Belichick merely swooped in during the third round and probably stole the best one of the bunch. …

Is this Tom Brady’s heir apparent? Maybe, maybe not. At the very least, he’s an intriguing possibility.

Why could Mallett eventually replace Brady? He clearly has the most powerful arm in the draft, although his athleticism is lacking - which, of course, was the knock on Brady in 2000. Mallett ran the 40-yard dash in 5.37 seconds. Brady ran a 5.23 at his NFL workout.

What could make him part of that post-draft Brady 6? Allegations of drug and alcohol use have followed Mallett, who abruptly ended his NFL combine media session after being repeatedly asked about the drug-abuse topic but not addressing it.

He was asked about it again on Friday:

Q: There was so much scrutiny about off the field issues and alleged drug use. Can you address that now?

A: It's just people talking. I'm focusing on getting up to New England and learning as much as I can and getting on the field as quick as I can. It's just something that's behind me. It's in the past and I'm looking at the future.

Q: Do you feel like you were mislabeled? Or is that something that you've accepted and are willing to prove people wrong who didn't draft you?

A: I'm going to go up there and be the person that I am. I'm a people person. I love to be around people. So I'm going to go up there and work as hard as I can to get on the field. Mislabeled - if that's what you want to call it, fine. I think I was portrayed in a different light than the people that know me and know who I am.