INDIANAPOLIS — There’s a Michigan quarterback at the NFL Scouting Combine who currently has a sixth-round grade on Pro Football Focus’ draft guide. Did you think we weren’t going to ask him about Tom Brady?
Shea Patterson, perhaps unsurprisingly, is a big fan of the New England Patriots free-agent quarterback.
“As far as mindset goes, I’d say him and Kobe Bryant were the two guys that I looked at the most and I tried to emulate,” Patterson said. “Just his ability to keep working no matter what and overcoming odds and not really caring what other people think of him and then truly believing in himself and just being a student of the game throughout his career and just having the ability to win year in and year out. It’s pretty awesome. He’s someone I look up to.”
Patterson said he hasn’t met Brady nor has he spoken with the Patriots yet at the NFL Scouting Combine, but he would cherish the opportunity to learn behind the legendary quarterback if the opportunity presented itself.
“I don’t think you could ask to be in a better situation,” Patterson said. “He’s the most winningest quarterback to ever play the game, and I think I would be foolish to say it wouldn’t be a great opportunity to learn from the best.”
Patterson completed 56.2 percent of his passes in 2019 for 3,061 yards with 23 touchdowns and eight interceptions. He took a step back after his best college season in 2018 when he completed 64.6 percent of his passes for 2,600 yards with 22 touchdowns and seven interceptions.
Patterson began his career at Ole Miss before transferring to Michigan in 2018. PFF compared him to NFL QB Josh McCown and likes his ability to move out of the pocket and make “wow” throws.
Brady is no guarantee to return to the Patriots as a free agent. The Los Angeles Chargers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tennessee Titans and Las Vegas Raiders all left the door open — some wide open — to pursue Brady while members of their respective organizations addressed reporters this week at the NFL Scouting Combine.
