NFL

'Moment won't be too big' for Jarrett Stidham, his former coach says

Quick-hit thoughts and notes around the New England Patriots and NFL:

1. Ready to seize his chance: Becoming a starting quarterback in the NFL is hard enough. Filling the void created by Tom Brady’s free-agent departure makes it that much harder.

Jarrett Stidham is the leading candidate to fill that role, and his former coach, Auburn’s Gus Malzahn, believes he has the makeup to succeed.

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Auburn coach Gus Malzahn says his former QB Jarrett Stidham is good at building relationships with his teammates. Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

2. Transitioning to post-Brady life: Patriots defensive tackle

3. Dugger breaks the mold: The Patriots’ selection of Division II Lenoir-Rhyne safety Kyle Dugger with their top pick (No. 37, second round) broke the mold in more ways than one. Of the 255 players selected in the draft, 246 were from Division I schools. Also, having turned 24 in March, Dugger is easily the oldest player coach Bill Belichick has selected with the team’s top pick — falling into a rare category of overage Patriots draftees that includes offensive linemen Nick Kaczur (26 in 2005 third round) and Sebastian Vollmer (25 in 2009 second round). For context, receiver N’Keal Harry was 21 when the Patriots made him their first-round pick in 2019. One reason Dugger fits well for the Patriots: They have used five defensive back packages — often with three safeties — more than most teams in the NFL in recent years.

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  • Coe — “He can play inside. He can play outside. He can play off the ball. He’s an athletic dude. Strong. He’s probably as talented out of anybody that came out of this draft; he has to be up there. He had a few things this year that I really think he’ll overcome and grow and all that. He could be one of those diamond-in-the-rough type of players.”

  • Hastings — “He was a walk-on kicker, an onside kick specialist. I think he went 0-for-2 when he got here, and so in the spring, we needed some receivers. I knew his high school coach — Will had played receiver there — and it took probably just a couple practices to figure out, ‘Hey, he may be able to help us.’ The first year, his first game right off the bat against Clemson, he played real well. He owns the school record in the 5-10-5 in the ‘L’ drill (aka three-cone drill). He’s unbelievably quick, and as good a double-move guy as I’ve ever seen. He can get open on those option routes. That’s a real good fit for him with that [Patriots] system.”

    • Receiver Jeff Thomas is a big-play threat with a chance to make New England’s roster. Gregory Fisher/Icon Sportswire

    6. Could Thomas be this year’s Jackson?: Cornerback

    Patriots 2010s All-Decade Team: pic.twitter.com/t89ZYqOpo5

    — Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) April 29, 2020

    9. Parcells, Seymour and Vrabel down to the wire: This is the final week for fans to vote on the one inductee for the Patriots Hall of Fame, and all three finalists are deserving — Bill Parcells, Richard Seymour and Mike Vrabel. These were the three finalists on my ballot. Throughout the process, I’ve been struck by the lack of public buzz for Seymour, who was one of the franchise’s most talented players. Belichick wrote a letter supporting Seymour’s candidacy for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, where he has been in the final 10 the past two years, which should only strengthen Seymour’s chances to earn a red jacket in Foxborough, Massachusetts.

    10. Schedule release: Barring a change, the NFL expects to release its 2020 regular-season schedule by May 9, and everyone will be crossing their fingers that a full season actually takes place. The first thing I’ll be looking for with the Patriots’ slate is if any of their long-distance road games are stacked back-to-back — similar to 2008 and 2014 when they stayed on the West Coast between games. Players cited the team-bonding aspect of those weeks.

    • 2020 road opponents: Chargers, Chiefs, Rams, Seahawks, Texans, Bills, Dolphins, Jets

    • 2020 home opponents: 49ers, Cardinals, Broncos, Raiders, Ravens, Bills, Dolphins, Jets