The Patriots’ Jerod Mayo, center, hopes to be up to speed with New England’s defensive schemes as camp moves on.

The Providence Journal / Bob Thayer

FOXBORO — Bad haircuts, bringing the veterans food, and carrying their equipment are part of being a rookie in the NFL.

Patriots first-round draft pick Jerod Mayo is learning that firsthand.

A star linebacker at the University of Tennessee, where he was an All-Southeastern Conference first-team selection last year, Mayo is back at the bottom of the food chain, but he is glad to be doing the chores to be a member of the New England Patriots.

“It felt good just to be with the guys,” Mayo said of his first two practices. “Building the camaraderie out here in camp, going through these long days, I really wanted to be on time and practice with the guys.

“I don’t mind carrying pads to be a part of the team and build that camaraderie.”

When the clock struck midnight Thursday, the first day of the Patriots training camp, Mayo received a phone call from his agent telling him that a deal had been done.

His agent, Mitch Frankel, told him that he was to report from Hampton, Va., where he had attended his brother’s wedding, to Foxboro first thing in the morning to sign a reported $18.9-million contract, with $13.8 million in guarantees and bonuses.

That was music to his ears so he woke up at 5 a.m. to catch a plane to Boston. He went straight to Gillette Stadium when his plane landed at about 9 a.m. and signed his new contract.

“[Patriots vice president of player personnel] Scott Pioli and that group did an excellent job getting the deal done and thankfully I’m here,” Mayo said.

Mayo added that it was killing him knowing that he was going to miss the Patriots first practice of the season.

“It’s been a long couple of days, but at the same time, I wanted to get here on time and be with the guys,” Mayo said. “They are like my family now and I really love these guys.” He said that a lot of his teammates teased him for missing the Patriots first practice.

“I heard it a lot from the guys, but at the same time they understand the business part of game,” Mayo said. “They welcomed me with open arms, but I still had to carry the pads of the older guys, but that was cool.”

Although Mayo missed the Patriots first practice, he said yesterday that he wasn’t too far behind everyone else.

“The mini-camp definitely helped,” Mayo said. “I feel like if I would have come in here without going through those days, I would really be lost. But it’s still a complex system, and I’m still trying to get it down.”

Patriots coach Bill Belichick said he was pleased to have Mayo on the field.

“We worked with him in the spring and I think he learned a lot there,” Belichick said. “He has a long way to go. This is the opportunity for players to get in pads to work some of the techniques at full speed in a contact setting, and that is a little bit different than the passing camp. I know he is at a position where that will be important and I am glad we got him and had a chance to work with him yesterday. He really didn’t miss that much and he did benefit from all the spring camps. I think he can get into the mainstream with everybody by the end of today and we will see what he can do.”

Mayo said he has had a difficult time learning the Patriots playbook, but fellow linebackers Tedy Bruschi and Adalius Thomas have helped him out a lot.

“Those guys have played for a long time and they are great guys and they have really taken me under their wing … I’m just trying to be like a sponge and learn as much as I can,” said Mayo, who carried both Thomas and Bruschi’s pads yesterday.

Mayo says he is going to do everything he can to become a better player, but he hasn’t set any personal goals yet.

“I’ve always felt like I have to get better each and every day to be what I want to be on the field,” Mayo said.

roblee@projo.com