Age can be a funny thing in the NFL, particularly with the new landscape of college football. Take New England Patriots rookie quarterback Behren Morton, who is actually seven months older than starter Drake Maye, who enters Year 3 with MVP expectations.
After being selected in the seventh round, Morton noted that he and Maye met each other as Elite 11 finalists in the 2020 recruiting class. Morton spent the past five seasons at Texas Tech, starting three-and-a-half campaigns with the Red Raiders. Being drafted in the draft's final round, Morton knows he'll have to do anything and everything to have a shot at even making the roster.
"I'm really looking forward to picking (Maye's) brain about what he's done in the league so far. He's been very successful this last year. So I'm going to do whatever it takes," Morton said Saturday, . "If he needs a coffee from Starbucks, I'm there for Drake. Whatever he needs throughout this process, I'm here for him."
Morton isn't competing with Maye, but could be in for a training camp battle with Tommy DeVito for reps behind the starter. We've seen quarterbacks from every walk of life build lengthy careers as backups -- Morton can just ask DeVito.
"I'm fired up to be there," Morton said. "I'm a competitor. I'm going to elevate the room for sure. And I'm going to do whatever it takes to make this organization better."
Some days, making a caffeine run might be what the QB room needs most.
