FOXBORO — Seventh-round pick Behren Morton was the only quarterback on the field Saturday for Patriots rookie minicamp, but he should relish the reps when he can still get them. He likely won’t be attempting many meaningful passes this spring and summer when the Patriots’ veterans take the field in practice.
Morton, who was [selected 234th overall](https://www.bostonherald.com/2026/04/25/patriots-select-developmental-qb-234th-overall-in-2026-nfl-draft/) out of Texas Tech, [was a perfect 12-of-12](https://www.bostonherald.com/2026/05/09/patriots-rookie-minicamp-takeaways-qb-undrafted-wide-receiver-stands-out/) during full-squad drills Saturday, joined by his fellow rookies and tryout players.
The 24-year-old rookie said it was “great” being the only quarterback on the field.
“A lot of reps, which is really beneficial right now,” Morton said. “And then, when we start Monday, reps will go down. But learning from (watching) Tom Brady and the guys that have played in this offense, it’s really cool to see the film that I get to watch. A lot of cool stuff in this offense, and I’m really excited to learn.”
Morton is trying to prove himself as a third-string developmental quarterback behind starter Drake Maye and backup Tommy DeVito, who re-signed on a two-year contract this offseason before the team released last year’s backup, Joshua Dobbs.
Morton was a four-star recruit coming out of tiny Eastland High School — there were just 25 players on his high school football team — and was in the same class as Maye.
“We were in the same Elite 11 class,” Morton said. “He’s a phenomenal player and to get the opportunity to learn from him, I’m going to take every opportunity I can to maximize what he’s doing and take it to my game.”
Morton started 36 of 45 games with the Red Raiders and completed 62.8% of his passes for 8,986 yards with 71 touchdowns and 28 interceptions. He also rushed for seven touchdowns in his college career.
The two-time captain dealt with a slew of injuries at Texas Tech. He missed two games with a hairline fracture in his right leg as a senior and played through an AC joint sprain in his throwing shoulder in 2023 and 2024 before undergoing surgery before his senior season. He also missed three games in 2022 with a left ankle injury.
“Body’s great,” Morton said. “This is the healthiest I’ve been in a really long time. Shoulder hasn’t been this good since high school.”
Patriots executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf said after the draft that Morton’s toughness stood out at Texas Tech.
“He played through a lot of stuff,” Wolf said. “He’s been beat up, but he’s played through a lot of stuff. He’s got a live arm. He’s really smart. He’s been productive. He’s played a lot of football, and he’s a really good fit for the type of offense that we want to run.”
Morton got a lot of individual time with offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels and quarterbacks coach Ashton Grant on Saturday.
He’s been enjoying his time learning the Patriots’ offense over the last two days.
“It’s a great opportunity to be here, and I think that I’m trying to maximize my days here,” Morton said. “So as much information as I can retain, I want to retain as much as I can. And the next day, mistakes are going to happen, but correcting off of them. And so it’s been a learning curve, but it’s been really, really good.
“Ask as many questions as I can right now. Learning this, this playbook is very dense, but as much as I can get the opportunity to ask questions right now while it’s just me in the quarterback room, maximize my opportunity right now.”
Wolf acknowledged there will be a learning curve for Morton coming from a spread offense at Texas Tech to the pro-style system that McDaniels runs but noted that the rookie quarterback showed off his smarts during a pre-draft visit.
When asked about that transition, Morton said he’s not trying to make the same mistake twice.
“Really soaking in what we’re saying in the classroom, then taking it on the field,” Morton said. “It’s one thing to do in the classroom, and then transition to the field. When you get live reps, maximize those opportunities.”
Morton will likely be relegated to leftover reps with the scout team during OTAs, minicamp and training camp. Last year also proved that a rookie quarterback isn’t guaranteed a spot on the roster.
The Patriots signed Ben Wooldridge as an undrafted free agent but released him after their third and final preseason game, electing to claim DeVito off waivers instead.