When Julian Edelman’s season ended early due to a knee injury, the New England Patriots were in desperate need of a dynamic option at receiver. Though Jakobi Meyers was buried on a depth chart of unproductive options, Edelman’s injury led to a breakout season for Meyers, who managed 58 receptions for 722 yards with no touchdowns in the final 11 games of the season.
It was enough for him to draw consideration from Pro Football Focus, a digital scouting service, as a top-25 receiver in 2020.
With Meyers replacing Edelman, the veteran receiver found himself pulling for Meyers.
“He was playing well. Jakobi was working his tail off and he was taking advantage of the opportunities he was given and he’s listened,” Edelman said last week in a promotional call for the marketing company, Superdigital.
“It’s crazy to see a lot of these guys that come into the locker room these days with a sense of entitlement, a sense of, ‘I was a big-school guy, I was a big-name guy.’ This and that. Jakobi wasn’t. … I think that has a lot to do with him doing as well as he is, because if he falls, he hits rocks. He doesn’t hit pillows like someone who was drafted in a higher class. He’s not given as many opportunities and he takes advantage of every opportunity.
“That’s why I’m pulling for him. That’s why I give him so much information. I’m closer to the end than I am to the beginning, and for me to live on through the game, it’s the knowledge you pass that you’ve learned.”
That’s the way it was for Edelman, too. He entered the NFL as a seventh-round pick — just barely a better spot to be than Meyers dealt with as an undrafted free agent. They both played quarterback in college, though Meyers converted to receiver at NC State whereas Edelman finished his college career at Kent State as a quarterback before switching positions in the NFL.
Meyers managed solid production in his rookie season (26 catches, 359 yards) with Tom Brady at the helm. Even with the offense transitioning to Cam Newton, Meyers still managed to make major strides as an offensive weapon.
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