Second-year quarterback Jarrett Stidham from Auburn could very possibly be the New England Patriots next starting quarterback.
He sat under Tom Brady for one season and started off with one of the best rookie preseason outings in the past two decades under Bill Belichick. The Patriots had the opportunity to find a reliable starter in free agency or select a top-rated prospect from the NFL Draft — they passed on both. Stidham and Brian Hoyer will compete for the starting role and Hoyer’s history as a backup will likely keep him there.
Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn had Stidham for two seasons and spoke with ESPN.com about his future with the Patriots.
“It definitely helped him to learn under the best and see what that looks like, but he’s the kind of young man, too, this is what he’s been waiting on. I’ll tell you, the moment won’t be too big for him. He’ll be up to the challenge, that’s what I expect,” Malzahn said.
“Even when he got here, before he played his first game, you could just kind of tell he was a mature young man. Like a gym rat, always at the complex trying to learn, study film. When he got drafted by the Patriots [in 2019], I thought it was a perfect spot for him system-wise — spreading the field. He’s so good with protections, changing protections, and scheme-wise everything that goes with it, and just the flexibility the scheme gives him. I think that really applies to his strength.”
Quarterback guru Jordan Palmer explained how Stidham’s discipline and knowledge of the game differentiates him from other young quarterbacks.
“He’s a people person, too. He has the ability, right off the bat, to develop relationships. People rally around him,” Malzahn said. “When he first got here, he had spent one-on-one with the coaches, one-on-one time with the players. He just has that ability that people want to follow him.”
New England needs a leader to step up and embrace the role they’re getting into — because the shoes to fill are enormous. Stidham has earned rave reviews from former teammates, coaches, scouts — and Belichick seems to share that same belief.
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