Jarrett Stidham could be under a lot of pressure next season.
Stidham, who sits atop the New England Patriots’ depth chart, could take over as the team’s next starting quarterback, since Tom Brady is with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. While the Patriots likely will draft another quarterback, if Stidham remains at the top of the list, there’s no doubt the opportunity will come with a lot of expectations.
Brady is a six-time Super Bowl champion, 14-time Pro Bowler and three-time MVP with 20 years of experience not just in the NFL, but with the Patriots. That’s a tough act to follow, especially for a 23-year-old who has one year of professional experience as a backup quarterback.
Before the NFL, Stidham was known for performing best under the highest stakes at Auburn, though. His college coach, Gus Malzahn, provided some optimism Friday about Stidham’s abilities on the “Zach Gelb Show.”
“Jarrett is very steady,” Malzahn said, as transcribed by WEEI’s Rob Bradford. “The thing about it is with us, he had the ability to play his best games when the stakes were the highest. In 2017, we played Georgia and they were No. 1 and he played his best game. Two weeks later, we played Alabama and they were No. 1, he played his best game, led us to the SEC championship.
“He’s a very solid person, kind of a gym rat. He understands the game of football, really from a coach’s standpoint. The system that they run fits him really well and I expect him to be very successful.”
There is some question whether Stidham will have the opportunity to be the starting quarterback. NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport is among those who believe Brian Hoyer will take the reins. Ben Watson, on the other hand, feels Stidham deserves Patriots fans’ confidence.
Regardless, a lot will depend who New England selects in the NFL Draft, which at this point, could look like a number of different outcomes.
