New England Patriots quarterback Jarrett Stidham will be in the running to open the 2020 season as the team's starting signal caller. That responsibility comes with lofty expectations in the wake of Tom Brady's departure from the organization this off-season, but Darius Slayton, a former teammate of Stidham's during his stint at Auburn, isn't concerned about the potential drop-off for New England.

“I think people should know that Jarrett is one of the hardest-working football players I’ve ever been around,” Slayton said to hosts Alex Marvez and Gil Brandt of NESN. “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.”

While many expected New England to try and acquire a ready-made replacement for Brady, the team appears content to enter the year with an open competition between Stidham and veteran quarterback Brian Hoyer.

Stidham was selected in the fourth round of the 2019 NFL Draft by the Patriots and appeared in three games last season, going 2-for-4 as a passer. He was an All-SEC selection back in '17, and while the leap to stardom in the NFL remains wide, Slayton believes Stidham has the tools to do so.

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