‘I see why we took him’: Gunner Olszewski is impressed with Patriots QB Mac Jones

Patriots wide receiver Gunner Olszewski understands the hype around Mac Jones.

Olszewski made an appearance at the Foxwoods 301 in New Hampshire on Sunday, where he praised the rookie quarterback to NESN.

“Good, smart guy,” Olszewski said. “Smart football player. I see why we took him. Those aren’t the decisions I make, but I think it was a good one.

“He’s a fun guy to be around and I think he’s a good football player.”

Olszewski, who was an All-Pro punt returner last season, drove the pace car for Sunday’s race. For Olszewski, who grew up a NASCAR fan, the event was a big moment.

“I’ll be in first place coming into Lap 1,” Olszewski told the Boston Globe. “So I don’t know if I’m going to pull off the track. I might have to have someone take it from me before I leave.”

Olszewski threw a football around with several drivers when the race was delayed by 90 minutes almost immediately following a crash on the rain-soaked track.

Olszewski even connected with driver Corey LaJoie for an impressive reception.

Positive reviews continue to roll in on Jones, although Bill Belichick made it clear after the draft that the starting job will belong to Cam Newton at the beginning of the season.

“I think Mac has a pretty good understanding of the things that we do,” Belichick told reporters in June. “He has to go out there and do them and get comfortable with them. It’s a process. We’ve had a number of other players at that quarterback position come in and go through that. Sometimes, it starts a little slower and then picks up. Sometimes, it starts a little higher and slows down. We’ll just have to see how it goes.”