This week, Chiefs Wire’s Ed Easton Jr. spoke to New England Patriots quarterback and Tennessee Volunteers legend Joshua Dobbs.

In his interview with Easton Jr., Dobbs, who recently teamed up with Dr Pepper to host the ‘Pepper Portal’ at the ‘Third Saturday in October’ annual showdown between the University of Alabama and the University of Tennessee, reflected on competing at the 2017 NFL Scouting Combine with fellow quarterback prospects, including Kansas City Chiefs star Patrick Mahomes.

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“I think in this profession, there is always competition. You know, even if you might not feel like that or say that, it’s still always a competition. I think, like so many times, people make the competition out between like the other quarterbacks or people in the class, but really at the end of the day, what you learn is the competition is just against yourself, like you’re just trying to be the best version of yourself every day.” said Dobbs, “Be prepared for the opportunities. Kind of block out that outside noise and expectations, and internally push yourself to be the best version of you you can be. I have a lot of friends, obviously, who were in those QB classes; some are still playing, while others aren’t. I’ve been thankful for my journey to where I am today and blessed with the opportunities I’ve had. And want to continue to prepare and be the best version of me I can be on and off the field.”

Notable quarterback names from the 2017 class besides Mahomes include Deshaun Watson, Mitchell Trubisky, Cooper Rush, and Taysom Hill. Dobbs has earned a reputation for his ability to adjust to and learn new systems quickly, through the many teams he has played on.

“I think you really take things one day at a time, like, that’s been my motto, really, in everything that I do, both on and off the field, and just trying to maximize my preparation, so I’m prepared for any opportunity that’s placed in front of me.” said Dobbs, “I’ve been blessed with great teammates and coaches that have poured into me and helped me throughout that preparation process, but I had to put in a ton of work and time and energy and attention to detail to really be prepared for each opportunity that’s been placed in front of me and at the end of the day to make the most of them, no matter how big or small they are, and so I continue to do that. I’ve been able to refine some really good habits and preparation, as well as the way I approach things. I know that whenever my number is called, whether in any capacity, I’ll be ready to go in, hit the ground running, and play football, giving our team a great opportunity to win.”

During the 2023 season, Dobbs became the first quarterback in NFL history to record three touchdowns in consecutive games while playing for different teams. He earned NFC Player of the Week honors for his performance and a nickname unique to his background in aerospace engineering.

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“It (nickname) stems from the success I had a couple of years ago, combined with my background in aerospace engineering,” said Dobbs, “People often call me an astronaut, Astro, so ‘Passtronaut’ turned into a pretty cool nickname, and it’s become pretty iconic. I’m definitely not complaining.”

Check out Dr Pepper’s website for more information on the new commercial.

This article originally appeared on Chiefs Wire: Joshua Dobbs reflects on his NFL QB Draft Class with Patrick Mahomes