Patriots' Belichick: Backup QB Garoppolo 'looks like a linebacker'

New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick is apparently happy with how hard his young backup quarterback, Jimmy Garoppolo, is working out.

"I talked to Bill (Belichick) at the combine, and I asked him how Jimmy was doing," Garoppolo's personal quarterback coach Jeff Christensen told WEEI.com. "He said '(Jimmy) looks like a linebacker. He works out like a linebacker. He acts like a linebacker. I really like him a lot, coach. You did a great job with him. Thank you.'"

Garoppolo, a 2014 second round pick, has impressed the Patriots with his work ethic, likely taking his queue from notorious workaholic Tom Brady. The hard work seems to be paying off as Garoppolo has improved since his inauspicious start in training camp last season.

"I think he did very well," Christensen said of Garoppolo's rookie campaign. "Over the first two weeks of camp he didn't look good, but I think over the third and fourth week of the preseason, he made real improvement, and that's what Bill wants to see. Jimmy is a smart kid who just wants to learn, and he's well aware of how good a situation he's in right now."

The Eastern Illinois product is the presumptive favorite to become the Patriots quarterback of the future once Brady decides to hang up his cleats, but a more likely scenario could be that Garoppolo will be used as trade bait.

The Patriots have made good use of backups Matt Cassel and Ryan Mallett via trades in the past and Garoppolo could be up next if he continues to develop.

- With h/t to NFL.com