FOXBOROUGH – For the first time since 2019, the Patriots have a player who commands attention as soon as he walks into a room.

Stefon Diggs walked down the hallway and into the media workroom at Gillette Stadium around 2:20 on Friday after officially signing his new three-year deal. Diggs’ aura as a proven, high-level player in the league was hard to ignore throughout his 15-ish minute press conference.

He was calm, cool, collected, honest with each answer and just oozed a sense of professionalism that the locker room – in particular the wide receiver room – needs desperately.

Most are surprised that Diggs chose to come to New England given the state of the organization the last few years, but one of the main reasons he chose to join the Patriots is head coach Mike Vrabel.

“100%,” Diggs said when asked if Vrabel was a draw. “I also kind of factored in he was a former player. Player-to-coach relationship, it kind of meshes really well with coaches that played at one time. They know what it takes to put the time in being out there…he was a big draw for me seeing that he played the game of football and how well he played the game of football.

“He played with a standard. He played with some moxie. He had that energy and he played with a team, or like, individuals that were great at what they do. Being around greatness and breeding greatness, it’s like…it’s rubbing shoulders with it. I feel like it’s a good relationship to have, especially when you’re out there. So, trying to follow suit in New England.”

Aside from Vrabel, why here? Why now? Diggs said he had several conversations with other teams, but the Patriots were the only one he physically visited. Why join a non-guaranteed winner at this stage of his career?

Well, Drake Maye was a big part, but also wanting to prove he still has No. 1 type skills left in the tank.

“Yeah, it’s exciting obviously,” Diggs said when asked if being a No. 1 guy played a role in the process. “When I was factoring my decision, it’s like getting back on track. I played 10.5 years playing this game, would have been 11 if I didn’t get banged up. So, I definitely look forward to getting back on track.

“Young quarterback. Good team. A lot of pieces being added. Everything trending in the right direction, something I wanted to be a part of. I feel like I can be helpful as far as like, development with the receivers and everybody involved. For me personally, get back out there and get active. I just want to put my talents to use. But, definitely I thought about it. All that factored in making my decision.”

As for the mentorship role with the young receivers like Pop Douglas, Kayshon Boutte, Ja’Lynn Polk and Javon Baker, Diggs feels like he can help them with his tenure in the league.

“It’s more so the experience from the highs and the lows, I would say,” he said in regard to a question about what specifically he’d like the younger guys to learn from him. “Everybody want to have success in this league. Everybody wants to play at a very high level, but I feel like I can help more so with the lows, just because I’ve experienced them myself on a personal level. Like, the first three games of my career I wasn’t playing at all. It wasn’t until the fourth game I got my opportunity and then taking advantage of opportunities and learning that sometimes the timing is off. When it’s you time to shine, shine. If you don’t, you can’t blame nobody but yourself.

“To help them with the lows is the biggest thing, because everything isn’t going to go your way. Sometimes, you gotta learn that the hard way. But, if you’re doing what you’re supposed to, you’re committed to it, the ball will bounce your way.”

Diggs also explained why he’s looking forward to playing with Maye.

“I’m excited, I’m really looking forward to it,” he said. “It’s crazy, when you ask around, people say through the grapevine he acts a lot like Josh (Allen). That was my guy, so I look forward to meeting and connecting with him.”

On the field, Diggs is still one of the most competitive guys in the NFL. The Patriots need more guys who believe they’re going to win every rep and every game, so that fiery spirit should work well for Diggs in his new home and hopefully, rub off on the rest of the locker room.

“When I was younger, I’d say you get in trouble a little bit,” Diggs said. “As far as like, being so competitive – not from the standpoint of winning and losing – but, mindset. Don’t let it get you off your game. Being too aggressive, being in the mind frame of ‘I want to do this, that and the third’ and not really honing in on your game. I feel like now, at this point, the more madder I get, the more focused I get.

“I’d rather beat you than argue with you. I think when I was younger, I was so caught up in like, maybe a shouting match or maybe going back and forth with somebody. But, at this point in my career, I’m a little older now, I’m in a space where I’d rather give you a spanking than go back and forth with you. As far as me being a competitor, I’ve always been that way, even going back to when I was a little boy. I wanted to win at everything I did. I never wanted to lose.

“I’ll never lose that. I think the older I get, the worse it gets. Because like, damn, I really expect to win. If I lose, I’m like, ‘it was my fault. I’m gonna get you on this next one.”

Or course, the biggest question is whether or not Diggs will be ready to go for training camp.

If he has his way, he’ll be bringing the juice back to the fields behind Foxborough as soon as humanly possible.

“Sh*t, when the whistle blows,” he said with a grin when asked when he anticipates practicing. “We’ll see. But, right now, I’m ahead of schedule. I’m trying to stay ahead of schedule. I pretty much take it day-by-day. I try not to put the carriage before the horse, but here we are. Here’s the horse right here. I’ll let you know though. We’ll keep playing it by ear and I’m gonna stay ahead of schedule for now. I’ll let ya’ll know.”

Diggs has a chance to become one of the most important signings in franchise history. Think Kevin Garnett changing the Celtics culture back into a winning one. That’s what Diggs has a chance to do if he can get back to even 80% of the receiver he was while also passing on his wealth of knowledge.

The good news for the organization and the fan base is that he wants to cap off his NFL legacy by doing big things here and not somewhere else.

“Yeah, I could have went places and did this, that and the third, sure, but I really had to figure out what I wanted for myself and where I wanted to be for the rest of my legacy,” he added.

“Why not be part of a winning organization and some place that definitely has a lot of talent and a coach that’s going to lead them in the right direction?”