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Rhamondre Stevenson appreciates support he’s received from Patriots of present and past
In addition to the support he's received from veteran players on the current roster, Stevenson's spoken with former Patriot LeGarrette Blount.
While much of the rookie attention has been spent on Mac Jones this preseason, another Patriots rookie has shined in the team’s first two games.
Running back Rhamondre Stevenson leads the NFL in rushing yards this preseason with 194, averaging 7.8 yards per carry. Sure, his 91-yard touchdown run against the Washington Football Team inflates his stats a bit, but he has three other touchdowns over the two games, showing potential as a red zone threat.
The fourth-round pick’s immediate impact has surprised fans and analysts throughout the league. Stevenson’s play isn’t the thing that’s been the most surprising to him since he’s arrived in New England, though.
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“I would say how supportive all the vets are,” Stevenson said when asked by reporters what’s surprised him the most about his early time in New England. “They’re just always (there with) a helping hand. I could go talk to any one of these guys and they’re going to point me in the right direction. So, I’ll say that’s the biggest surprise and the thing I’m grateful for.”
The support Stevenson’s received doesn’t end with current players, either. Stevenson shared that former Patriots running back LeGarrette Blount’s been in contact with him. Coming out of Oklahoma, Stevenson was actually compared to Blount due to his frame (6-feet, 227 pounds) and power.
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“I had a few words with (Blount), yeah,” Stevenson said. “I hope to have some more with him, just to pick his brain and just see where he sees some fault and some (areas) where I could get better and things like that. So yeah, I talked to him, but I hope to talk to him a little bit more and pick his brain and just see what I need to work on from his point of view.”
Another now ex-Patriot Stevenson has a relationship with is running back Sony Michel. The Patriots traded Michel to the Rams on Wednesday, but Stevenson called his former teammate a “mentor” in their short time together.
With Michel gone, Stevenson has one less teammate to battle with to get carries out of the backfield. However, that isn’t what’s on his mind at the moment.
“Honestly, I try not to even get into the business side of that or anything,” Stevenson said. “I’m here. If he was here, I would still be working as hard as I would work after whatever happened and whatnot. So, I don’t think that really changes anything for me.
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“I just know that I’ve got to work hard — and I wouldn’t even say harder or anything like that. You’ve got to work hard and just stay focused on the task at hand.”
The veteran players and former Patriots aren’t the only people Stevenson’s appreciative of since arriving in New England. Stevenson’s enjoyed learning from running backs coach Ivan Fears, too.
“He’s an older coach, he’s been here for a while, so he’s seen a lot of backs,” Stevenson said. “He knows what it’s supposed to look like and the steps a person needs to take — especially a running back — to be successful in this league. So, I just feed off anything he says and just try to learn from him.”
Stevenson and the Patriots close out the preseason on Sunday with a matchup against the Giants.
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