Tre Nixon Has Found Study Buddy In Fellow Patriots Rookie Mac Jones

The New England Patriots selected Mac Jones in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft and the rookie has made a good first impression.

Jones may be just a rookie, but he has a leadership role among first-year Patriots.

Rookie wide receiver Tre Nixon listed Jones among coaches and peers supporting him in the studying process. Nixon has to learn the Patriots playbook. The seventh-round pick believes that he and Jones have a “good connection” at the moment.

“Me and him, we help each other study,” Nixon said. “We lean on each other when times get hard. It?s just kind of like with everyone else, the other quarterbacks too. (Brian) Hoyer, (Jarrett) Stidham, Cam (Newton), you look to the quarterbacks to help you with play calls and just getting integrated into the system.”

Patriots rookie Mac Jones works well with other rookies

Nixon is definitely a quick learner. He has two passes on 7-on-7 drills at OTAs. He is one of the Patriots skill position players catching punts in special teams drills.

Of course, Nixon missed some time in OTAs due to an injury. However, he recovered quickly and he will soon take part in the big challenge.

“With the teammates and coaches I have, the veterans, Mac, Cam, Stidham, I feel like they?ve done a really good job with helping me catch up to speed, because one of the biggest things they say is you don?t want to get left behind,” Nixon said. “So, I?ve got to stay ahead, and guys are doing a good job pushing me and getting all of the knowledge I can.”

Nixon will compete for a roster spot with other wide receivers: Nelson Agholor, Jakobi Meyers, Kendrick Bourne, Gunner Olszewski, N’Keal Harry, Isaiah Zuber, Kristian Wilkerson, Devin Smith and Marvin Hall. The first four are roster locks. Nixon will be facing the biggest competition from Harry and Zuber. Well, he has a nice speed and this talent will have him him jumping off the practice field in unpadded and non-contact sessions.