When Javon Baker was drafted by New England in April, he already had a familiar face ready to greet him.

BC quarterback Tommy Castellanos and Baker were teammates at UCF before Castellanos came to Chestnut Hill. Now, ironically enough, they have a chance to become the best QB and receiver in the region without being on the same team.

Hear me out…

Baker and fellow rookie Ja’Lynn Polk have popped at Patriots training camp, with Baker really coming on during Sunday morning’s session. If Baker can eventually emerge as a stud, go-to wideout, he’s certainly got the swagger and athleticism to be great and ultimately, a household name. Meanwhile, with the uncertainty surrounding Drake Maye and Jacoby Brissett as far as a timeline goes, Castellanos has a chance to at least be a relevant figure in the QB discussions around here.

Will Maye and Brissett dominate most of the QB talk on sports radio and television? Of course, but a big year for TC and Bill O’Brien will garner attention if it’s a fun, winning product.

Castellanos and Baker have remained close. I spoke with Baker about their relationship for a couple minutes on Sunday.

“Yeah, me and Tommy, we’re still close together,” he said. “When I came down to Boston, down to New England, he was just like ‘hey we gotta link up.’ He showed me some new food spots and stuff. Me and Tommy, we’re real close together.”

Baker has actually been aware of how good Castellanos is for a while now, even before their time at UCF. The Pats’ rookie had some high praise for the current face of the Eagles.

“The funny thing is, he actually played against my high school when he was younger” Baker added. “I knew about Tommy from a long time ago. On the field, he’s electric. He can do everything, he can run, pass. He’s just an electric player.”

Who knows, if things don’t work out with Maye, perhaps the Castellanos-to-Baker connection can be revived in Foxborough.

For now, the two will try to leave their mark on the New England football scene about 35 minutes away from each other.