In the seventh round of the 2026 NFL Draft, the New England Patriots selected Texas Tech quarterback Behren Morton to serve as a third arm behind Drake Maye and Tommy DeVito.
“Game planning, prep — whatever needs,” he said. “If he needs a coffee from Starbucks, I’m there for Drake. Whatever he needs throughout this process, I am here for him.”
Born in January 2002, Morton is seven months older than Maye. The two were in the same high school senior class, which led to them crossing paths earlier in their football journey.
“We were Elite 11 finalists. We went to Tennessee, and I got to know him there,” Morton said. “He is a great dude. He is a young guy that I can learn from, and obviously he had a tremendous season last year. Getting to learn from him this year and Tommy Devito; this is going to be a great opportunity for me, and I am really excited about it.”
Morton spent his entire collegiate career at Texas Tech, starting for three-and-a-half seasons while posting a 26-10 record. That included an 11-1 campaign in 2025, when he completed a conference high 66 percent of his passes despite playing through a number of injuries.
That toughness was the first thing that stood out to executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf as the team looked to add a third quarterback.
“He played through a lot of stuff. He’s been beat up, but he’s played through a lot of stuff,” Wolf said. “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.”
Coming from a shotgun, spread offense at Texas Tech, Morton will face an adjustment period transitioning to Josh McDaniels’ system. After meeting the offensive coordinator during a pre-draft visit to Gillette Stadium, Morton is confident he’ll fit in.
“We actually had a good long talk, and [Josh] was very confident about my game. We watched a lot of film and to see where I can fit into this offense,” he said. “We talked a little bit about the offense, and I think this fits my game really well. I’m excited about this opportunity. I think this is going to be really good for me.”
And while Morton is ready to help Maye and DeVito wherever he can, the 24-year-old is eager to make his own mark.
“I’m fired up to be there. I’m a competitor. I’m going to elevate the room for sure. I’m going to do whatever it takes to make this organization better,” he said.