NFL

Tom Brady on Louisville QB Lamar Jackson: 'He's a beast!'

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — With the New England Patriots scouring the college landscape for a quarterback to groom behind 40-year-old Tom Brady, Louisville’s Lamar Jackson is among the possibilities.

If he’s available at the Patriots’ first pick, No. 23, it’s a move Brady himself might endorse based on what he said on Instagram on Wednesday.

NFL Network’s “Path to the Draft” show highlighted Jackson, with analyst Bucky Brooks sharing his opinion that coach Bill Belichick might be intrigued. Brooks’ opinion was then shared on Instagram, which led to a back-and-forth between Deion Sanders and Brady in which Brady wrote of Jackson, “He’s a beast!!!!”

NFL Network analyst Mike Mayock has referred to Jackson as the most electrifying player in the draft. Meanwhile, ESPN draft analyst Todd McShay had Jackson going No. 29 to the Jaguars in his most recent “Grade A” mock draftInsider, and Mel Kiper Jr. had Jackson off the board at No. 22 to the Bills in his “Grade A” mock draftInsider.

The Patriots have Brady and 32-year-old Brian Hoyer on their roster and are expected to add at least one more quarterback to fill out the depth chart this offseason.

The team has multiple picks in the first round (23, 31) and second round (43, 63), as well as a third-rounder (95) as it considers its quarterback options early in the draft.