Patriots gridiron news: Lamar Jackson says Bill Belichick ‘cool’ during visit

The New England Patriots reportedly have a lot of interest in NFL prospect Lamar Jackson.  Could he be the next successor to Tom Brady? 

Are the New England Patriots impressed with Lamar Jackson enough to do whatever it takes to select him in Thursday night’s NFL draft?

In what could be considered a smoke screen, Bill Belichick and the Patriots have met with the former Heisman Trophy winner two times.  During both private meetings, the team reportedly gained a lot of interest in one of the most intriguing prospects in the entire draft.

With the No. 23 and No. 31 picks in the first round along with two selections in the second, the Patriots have the ammunition to move up to take Jackson if necessary.  They could also stand pat at No. 23 and hope he slides down to them.  Whatever the approach, it appears the team does have legit interest in him.

So, how exactly did that visit go? 

Well, we know the Patriots left with positive vibes, but what about Lamar Jackson?

Like most prospects visiting Foxborough, Jackson said he was impressed by the team’s history and got to see a different side of Bill Belichick.

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"“I’ve always seen him so serious.  Even when he won the AFC championship, he just passed the trophy like he was so serious about it.  So I was like, he’s probably going to be hard or something,” Jackson said speaking to the media ahead of the NFL draft in Dallas.  “But he was cool, laid back.  Just wanted to talk and stuff like that, so it was pretty cool for me.”"

The Louisville product went on to say that the meeting was mostly about football.  Unlike what we see in the media, Belichick was full of smiles and easy to talk to.  Most importantly, he got an idea of what the New England Patriots thought about him, his talent and his ability.

"“You’ve got to know how to throw that ball,” Jackson said.  “If coach Belichick is looking at you, you can’t just know how to run it, in my eyes.”"

If the Patriots are really serious about Lamar Jackson, then quarterback hungry teams selecting ahead of them will also take notice.  For that reason, Bill Belichick may just have to move up ahead of AFC East rivals Buffalo and Miami to take him.

Next: New England Patriots: 5 NFL prospects who could challenge Tom Brady

With time to develop behind Tom Brady, Jackson could end up being the best quarterback in this year’s draft.  It’s more about the future than who can step in right now.