Mike Reiss, ESPN Personnel Scribbler
FOXBOROUGH, Lump. — Fast-hit ideas and notes across the New England Patriots and NFL:
1. Douglas’ possible: Troy Brown used to be an eighth-round draft select. Danny Amendola entered the NFL as an undrafted distant agent. Julian Edelman used to be a seventh-rounder. All had been beneath 6-foot and weighed not up to 200 kilos.
May just Demario Douglas, the Patriots’ sixth-round rookie out of Self government, be nearest in order of underdog and undersized receivers to thrive in Brandnew England?
Former Self government head schoolmaster Hugh Freeze, who recruited the 5-foot-8, 179-pound Douglas and watched him develop right into a bona fide Negative. 1 choice ahead of being leased as Auburn’s unutilized head schoolmaster in November, says he believes so.
“Y’all [the Patriots] have been great at moving those guys around and putting them in iso situations. I think that is his strength,” Freeze mentioned of Douglas. “He could play for me right now at Auburn and start for us. He is the best, most quick-twitched kid at getting in and out of breaks that I’ve ever coached.
“He’s not the burner 4.27 guy [in the 40-yard dash], but his … short-area quickness and his hands are phenomenal. If you watch the way he rolls out of breaks, it’s pretty darn special.”
Regardless of many figuring out receiver as one of the crucial Patriots’ lead wishes coming into the NFL draft, the crew waited till the 6th around to deal with it — with LSU’s Kayshon Boutte (Negative. 181) and after Douglas (Negative. 210).
Thus, the inexperienced persons have a first-rate alternative to take hold of a place at the intensity chart at the back of DeVante Parker, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Tyquan Thornton and Kendrick Bourne.
“Double moves, he’s incredible at those,” Freeze mentioned of Douglas, who totaled 131 receptions for 1,694 yards and 12 touchdowns over his era two seasons at Self government.
“You’re probably going to have to play him inside and move him around; the catch radius on vertical seams could be an issue because you know he’s undersized. But on third-and-5, get him iso’d, he’s a handful to handle.”
The Patriots had a singular pre-draft alternative with Douglas, who used to be on the East-West Glow Bowl in January and practiced with the West crew coached via Troy Brown and alternative Brandnew England assistants.
One of the crucial lead questions for scouts is how Douglas’ diminutive bodily profile tasks to the NFL.
Since 1960, there were simply 13 non-kickers/punters indexed at 5-foot-8 or shorter and 180 kilos or much less who’ve performed in a minimum of 100 NFL video games, in keeping with ESPN Stats & Data analysis.
Cornerback Allen Rossum (153 video games), receiver Cole Beasley (153), cornerback Ray Mickens (146), receiver Leo Lewis (143) and operating again Willard Harrell (136) are the lead 5 in that section.
The Patriots may have won extra relief with Douglas according to their revel in with 2022 third-round select Marcus Jones, the 5-foot-8, 175-pounder who used to be arguably the crew’s maximum dynamic participant as a rookie past showing in 15 of a imaginable 17 video games.
Douglas, like Jones, has revel in as a punt returner (two TDs) and kickoff returner. “He’s excellent there, too,” Freeze mentioned.
Freeze recalled recruiting Douglas out of Mandarin Prime College in Jacksonville, Florida, the place he received a circumstance championship and used to be a “dominant player” however used to be lost sight of via lead faculties on account of his dimension.
Freeze’s crew benefitted from that — he credit receivers schoolmaster Maurice Harris for assisting Douglas’ building — and now he can envision one thing alike unfolding in Brandnew England.
“He has the natural ability to do it, and he has the work ethic. He’s a great teammate. Loves the game. Loves to practice,” Freeze mentioned. “He’s so pleasant to be around, with no sense of entitlement. I can’t say enough good things about him.”
2. DHop odds: The Cardinals’ release of veteran receiver DeAndre Hopkins on Friday way a participant schoolmaster Invoice Belichick has lengthy admired is now to be had at the detectable marketplace, rather of the business marketplace. The Patriots may just importance a spice up at receiver, however in a era look at the “I Am Athlete” podcast, Hopkins indexed Josh Allen (Expenses), Jalen Hurts (Eagles), Patrick Mahomes (Chiefs), Lamar Jackson (Ravens) and Justin Herbert (Chargers) because the lead 5 quarterbacks he’d love to catch passes from. So if the Patriots were interested in Hopkins, they’d apparently must be particularly convincing with a monetary do business in. My view is that turns out like a longer-odds situation.
If this night is the latter experience at house, I’ve to mention thanks to one of the crucial highest QBs in NFL Historical past for welcoming me into this league, serving to me develop, and being there for me in each step of my occupation. It’s been an honor to catch passes and pluck the farmland with you.
Thanks, 7! pic.twitter.com/YsL53rfpfE
— JuJu Smith-Schuster (@TeamJuJu) January 3, 2022
3. OTA violation: Brandnew England used to be stripped of two organized team activities on account of coaches’ scheduling that led to avid gamers spending greater than their allowed day on the crew facility. The NFL additionally may have fined Belichick up to $100,000 however rather selected $50,000. The league may have moreover fined the Patriots’ group (paid via possession) however didn’t accomplish that. Past that may be indistinguishable partially to the Patriots’ cooperation with the investigation, it extra decisively displays, within the view of a few across the NFL, how the violation used to be basically about carelessness/inadequency of consideration to component at the while an NFL Avid gamers Affiliation team of workers member used to be visiting as a part of same old working process.
4. OTA fallout: Shedding two voluntary follow days shouldn’t have a big affect at the Patriots within the weighty image, as Belichick has steadily canceled some days anyway. Most likely the larger problem for avid gamers is the disruption to their energy and conditioning paintings, as nobody is permitted to figure out on the crew facility on days that the violation is served. However for contractual functions, avid gamers are deemed to have participated to deliver to be credited for offseason exercise pay or any exercise bonus. In the meantime, Belichick has 16 days to pay the $50,000 superb.
5. Again to paintings: The Patriots shall be again at the farmland Wednesday next a six-day fracture, and newshounds are scheduled to be provide for the primary day this spring. Belichick is predicted to respond to questions. One spring custom continues with inexperienced persons in unconventional jersey numbers, so cornerback Christian Gonzalez will don Negative. 50, receivers Boutte and Douglas are 58 and 60, respectively, and undrafted quarterback Malik Cunningham is 64. It’s a reminder to them, partially, to concentrate on extra impressive issues. Negative participant at the roster has been assigned 0, which is permitted for the primary day in 2023.
6. Kickoff rule: The Patriots voted in opposition to the NFL’s new kickoff rule, in keeping with Sports activities Illustrated’s Albert Breer. The rule of thumb lets in returners to name for an even catch and feature the ball noticed on the 25-yard order. Negative awe there, as Belichick has prior to now referred to as the kickoff go back probably the most thrilling performs within the recreation.
In 2017, Belichick said: “I take an opposing view to the people who want to eliminate kickoffs from the game and try to have as few kickoffs as possible. I think it’s an exciting play, a unique play, one that is a big momentum play because of what happened the play before — the score or, possibly, the two times at the start of the half where it’s kind of a tone-setter or pace-setter for that opening play.”
7. JuJu in 7: Smith-Schuster may have donned jersey Negative. 19 like he did with the Steelers, however rather he’s going to put on Negative. 7 in his first Patriots season. There’s steadily a tale at the back of each quantity, and right here’s a query filed away to invite Smith-Schuster: Is {that a} nod to Ben Roethlisberger and his affect on him?
8. Firkser perseveres: Newly signed Patriots tight finish Anthony Firkser entered the NFL as an undrafted distant agent out of Harvard in 2017, so he’s overwhelmed lengthy odds to nonetheless be within the league seven years after (115 occupation catches, 1,207 yards, 5 TDs). The 6-2, 246-pound Firkser performed 21% of the offensive snaps in Atlanta latter season, and he has revel in at fullback if unutilized offensive coordinator Invoice O’Brien has designs to reintroduce that place to the offense in 2023.
9. Remembering Marquise: In this while 16 years in the past, Patriots defensive finish Marquise Hill drowned next falling off his personal watercraft in Pond Pontchartrain. Belichick mentioned Hill could be “remembered as a thoughtful and caring young man who established himself as one of the year-round daily fixtures” of the crew. A storagefacility for Hill residue intact at Gillette Stadium.
10. Do you know?: When O’Brien used to be head schoolmaster of the Houston Texans from 2014 to 2020, his offenses had been in unoccupied formations 767 instances (10.5% in their performs), in keeping with ESPN Stats & Data. Handiest the Cardinals (916) and Steelers (856) ran extra general performs in unoccupied formations.
