One of Jarrett Stidham’s former college teammates sees shades of Tom Brady in the young New England Patriots quarterback.
New York Giants wide receiver Darius Slayton, who played two seasons with Stidham at Auburn, raved about the second-year QB’s work ethic and football IQ during an interview Wednesday with SiriusXM NFL Radio.
“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. “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.”
Slayton was Stidham’s top deep threat in college, tallying 1,313 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns while averaging more than 20 yards per catch over their two years together. The fifth-round receiver parlayed that potential into an impressive rookie season for the Giants, catching 48 passes for 740 yards and eight scores in 14 games.
Stidham, who went in the fourth round in 2019, didn’t see the field outside of garbage time as a rookie. That should change this year. The 23-year-old is the favorite to replace Brady with the latter now in Tampa Bay.
Veteran Brian Hoyer also will compete for the Patriots’ starting quarterback job this summer, with undrafted rookies J’Mar Smith and Brian Lewerke rounding out the depth chart.
