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Patrick Mahomes gets high praise from Saints coach Sean Payton: 'Best quarterback ... I've ever evaluated'
By Paulina Dedaj
Published February 04, 2021
Sean Payton was on the coaching staff of several NFL teams before getting the head coaching position with the New Orleans Saints in 2006 and in all that time, he believes that Patrick Mahomes was the "best college quarterback" he’s ever seen.
Payton recalled his visit to Texas Tech during an interview with the NFL Network on Wednesday, saying he was "blown away" by what he witnessed in person.
"Yeah, we spent a full day on that campus … We came away from there, like, just blown away. Impressed. I know I made the comment that it’s the best quarterback, the best college quarterback, I’ve ever evaluated."
Payton said there were things about Mahomes that the film didn’t capture, qualities that convinced him further.
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"There were all the other checks, the things you don’t see on video. His personality was fantastic. He was one of those guys probably always hanging out in the gym after high school, he comes from an athletic family. He’s got a bright smile. It was all there."
Payton said the team tried to leave without being noticed. The Saints were in a good position to draft Mahomes in 2017 but a last minute trade up by the Kansas City Chiefs from 27th to 10th allowed Andy Reid to snag Mahomes.
"We were picking at 11, Andy went to 10 and as soon as that trade took place we knew it was Mahomes. We were staring at (Marshon) Lattimore and Mahomes, so those were two great scenarios. He’s fun to watch and certainly tough to defend."
Payton might be shopping for a quarterback in the next draft as rumors suggest that Drew Brees has played in his final NFL game. Payton said in the same interview that the team has every intention of developing backups Jameis Winston and Taysom Hill.
https://www.foxnews.com/sports/patrick-mahomes-college-quarterback-evaluated-saints-sean-payton