It didn't take long for Mac Jones to become a leader on the New England Patriots.
He won the starting quarterback job as a rookie and helped lead the offense to a successful 2021 NFL season, culminating in a playoff berth as an AFC wild card team.
Jones also led all rookie QBs with a 67.6 completion percentage, 3,801 yards and 22 passing touchdowns.
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Next Pats Podcast: Why Patriots veterans already see Mac Jones as a leader | Listen & Follow | Watch on YouTube
In the latest episode of NBC Sports Boston's "Next Pats Podcast", Patriots defensive lineman Lawrence Guy raved about Jones' ability to be a leader at such a young age.
"He came in with that leadership. You saw it during the season, you saw it in the locker room. He's a great person. It starts there," Guy told our Patriots insider Phil Perry. "He's a great person outside of football and he's building a brotherhood, and that's what you want to see from a young player -- someone who's building that brotherhood and can take all the burdens on his back.
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"That's what he's doing. When we're up high, we're good. When we're down low, he's still there. That's what you want to see in a young player. He's got a lot of years ahead of him, too. We're going to continue to see him play and get better. I feel like he's challenging himself to get better every single day. We're excited to see him play next year."
The upcoming offseason is a very important one for Jones. He had a strong rookie campaign, but there are plenty of things to work on before training camp starts in July.
Perry's Mailbag: Intel on Nick Caley's potential role in offense
Improving his arm strength and bolstering his on-field chemistry and relationships with teammates are two areas worth focusing on over the next few months.
The Patriots took a chance on Jones in the 2021 draft and, so far, the decision has proven to be a smart one. Jones is not only quite skilled, he's a natural leader and willing to put in the work to get better. That's all you can ask of a young quarterback.