Earlier this week, wide receivers coach Troy Brown had a pointed answer when asked how underdog receiver Jakobi Meyers keeps getting better every season: "In his mind, he's never good enough."
Now in his fourth season after going undrafted out of North Carolina State and switching from quarterback to wide receiver, he's firmly proven himself the best pass-catcher on the Patriots time and again, already racking up 20 catches, 261 receiving yards and a touchdown in three games played despite battling knee discomfort.
"He can't be guarded," said teammate Adrian Phillips of the shifty, reliable Meyers, praising the receiver's almost "unmatched" agility and "soft hands that are freaking like pillows." On top of that, Meyers has started to show off skills on contested catches that fly under the radar, reeling in an incredible sideline grab from Mac Jones in Week 1.
Despite not being known as a burner or otherwise physically dominant receiver, the former undrafted free agent just keeps getting open and making plays no matter whether Jones or rookie Bailey Zappe, whom Meyers caught seven passes for 111 yards from last Sunday, is in the game.
But as Brown hinted, the Patriots' best receiver is in no mood to settle up now.
"My standards for myself are pretty high," he told WEEI after practice on Friday. "I feel like people told me all my life what I was going to be, how good I could be, and I just wanted to come in here and just be way better than what they thought I could be and way better than even I thought I could be when I first switched to receiver. I'm just hungry."
True to form, Meyers said he hasn't proven the doubters completely wrong just yet, which is notable considering he's about to become a free agent after this season and could be in line for a sizable payday.
But he couldn't hold back the thought that he thinks he's close to being a star.
"It's coming. I can feel it. I can feel it probably about to turn over, but still got a long way to go. I'm excited for the journey…I've got a lot left in the tank and a lot left to prove," he added.
The facts are what they are: Meyers has gotten better as a receiver in every year he's played in the NFL, creeping all the way up to 866 yards and scoring his first two touchdowns in 2021. If he can stay on the field for the remainder of his games this season, he'll currently on pace to rack up 1,300 yards receiving.
Though he might not get there, topping 1,000 yards in his remaining games would certainly cement him as one of the league's best receivers and one deserving of a rich contract next year.
The only question: will the Patriots be the ones reaping the benefits of Meyers' insatiable work ethic and drive to be the best?
