Over the past two decades, the New England Patriots have constantly had unknown players step up and make names for themselves. The next unsung hero for the reigning Super Bowl champs could be undrafted wide receiver Jakobi Meyers.
Coming into the 2019 season, the media has shared the belief that New England lacks weapons in its offense around Tom Brady. Let's not forget who we are talking about.
This is a Bill Belichick-led team that continues to find endless supplies of playmakers on both sides of the ball. Even Julian Edelman was a seventh-round selection who didn't even play wide receiver at Kent State.
Despite that, the Patriots developed Edelman into a phenomenal receiver who is the go-to guy for Brady. Could Meyers become the next in a long line of impressive developments for the Patriots? The answer is simply yes.
Similar to Edelman, Meyers began his collegiate career as a quarterback. Meyers redshirted his first season at North Carolina State due to a knee injury. He watched Jacoby Brissett start under center. Brissett was drafted by the Patriots after that season concluded.
In his second season in college, Meyers was asked to move to the wide receiver position. It was going to be an uphill battle, but it was a challenge he accepted. The undrafted rookie thrived in his junior season at North Carolina State, breaking school records.
Meyers caught 92 passes for 1,047 yards and four touchdowns in his final season in college. His 92 receptions broke a school record that was previously held by Torry Holt. That's not a bad receiver to have your name associated with.
During the Patriots' 31-3 rout of the Detroit Lions in their preseason opener, Meyers had quite a pro debut. No matter who was under center, Meyers continued to get open and make plays.
In the second quarter, Meyers caught his third pass of the game from Brian Hoyer for a three-yard touchdown. He followed that up with another touchdown on the ensuing drive with Jarrett Stidham as the quarterback. After a few more receptions, the Patriots sat Meyers in the second half.
Usually, sitting in the second half means the team has seen enough of a player to feel comfortable sitting him. Meyers completed the game with six catches for 69 yards (his current jersey number) and two scores. The undrafted wideout led the team in receptions, yards and touchdowns.
Earlier this offseason, New England bid farewell to a fan favorite and legend, Rob Gronkowski. Gronk decided to walk away from football after nine seasons with the Patriots.
The departure of Gronkowski left a large void in the offense, but New England has a few players who could make up for the lost production. Meyers is likely to earn a spot on the 53-man roster after flashing his upside.
Meyers will need to continue displaying his potential to supplant Dontrelle Inman and Maurice Harris on the depth chart. That time will likely come soon if Meyers continues to produce at a high level in the preseason.
So far, Meyers has turned some heads in training camp—including Tom Brady's. According to Karen Guregian of the Boston Herald, Meyers has become a favorite target of Brady's in practice. That's one way to leave a lasting impression on the team.
At 6-foot-2, Meyers is a big-body wide receiver who can be physical in the attempt to make a catch. With injuries to Edelman, Demaryius Thomas, and the suspension to Josh Gordon, Meyers might be exactly what the Patriots need.
As the Patriots scramble to find weapons for their offense, they may have found a diamond in the rough with Meyers. You may want to invest in some Jakobi Meyers stock before it's too late.
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