Jarrett Stidham seems to charm whoever works with him.
Just last year, his quarterback guru Jordan Palmer was pounding the table for Stidham while I was speaking with Palmer for a story about quarterback prospect Tyree Jackson. Devin McCourty is among the many New England Patriots who have sung Stidham’s praises. And though Bill Belichick hasn’t said much on the young quarterback, the coach’s actions have spoken loudly, with the Patriots investing little resources in the quarterback position after Tom Brady’s departure this offseason. The message seems to be: it’s Stidham time. That’s no shock to one of Stidham’s former receivers, Darius Slayton, who played with the QB at Auburn and landed with the New York Giants.
During an appearance on SiriusXM NFL Radio, Slayton had nothing but good things to say about the apparently up-and-coming quarterback.
“I think people should know that Jarrett is one of the hardest-working football players I’ve ever been around,” Slayton told hosts Alex Marvez and Gil Brandt, via NESN. “He’s truly a student of the game, and I think that’s why he’s going to have a chance to be a really good quarterback for the Patriots because I know he’s going to put the time in.
“The arm and all that stuff, you know, that’s all God-given. He’s got that already. I think the separator that makes Tom Brady great is putting the time in and having the knowledge, and I think Jarrett is cut from that same kind of cloth.”
That’s a lofty comparison. It will be fascinating to see if Stidham can beat out Brian Hoyer for the starting job. Stidham may be the quarterback that replaces Brady — a tremendously high-pressure job.
[vertical-gallery id=86821]