Mac Jones may be having a way different rookie season that his Jacksonville Jaguars counterpart Trevor Lawrence, but the New England Patriots quarterback has nothing but respect and admiration for the 2021 No. 1 pick.

Ahead of their showdown in Week 17 on Monday, Jones spoke about his relationship with Lawrence, having known him since their high school days. The Patriots rising star shared huge praises for the Jaguars signal-caller, noting that he is a “great leader.”

“I’ve known Trevor (Lawrence) going back to high school, some camps, stuff like that. He is a great quarterback, he is a great person. I know he is a great leader. We’re both rookies and we’re learning along the way together. It is fun to watch the crossover tape…” Jones said, per Mike Reiss of ESPN.

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Trevor Lawrence has been on the receiving end of several criticisms over his recent play with the Jaguars. Coming in as the best QB of the 2021 class, there were high expectations on him. However, he has struggled mightily in his first season, even setting an ugly rookie record for the most pass attempts (280) with just one passing TD over the last 30 seasons.

For what it's worth, Mac Jones certainly made a gentle reminder that they are still rookies learning the inner workings of the league. They have varying experiences, and put simply, it's hard to compare them based on just their performances this season.

The Patriots are likely heading to the playoffs with Jones leading the way. Meanwhile, the Jaguars need to go back to the drawing board and see how they can improve and build around Lawrence after a poor campaign filled with off-field controversies.