New England Patriots rookie wide receiver DeMario Douglas has been turning heads since the start of training camp.
However, his early success on the practice field is not the first time he has been regarded in such a positive light. Patriots quarterback Mac Jones, who is originally from the same hometown in Jacksonville, heard stories about Douglas long before the two became teammates in New England.
“Pop Shotta, that’s my guy,” said Jones. “He’s a great kid, works really hard. … He’s actually from my hometown. He’s kind of a legend down in Jacksonville.”
Douglas was a high school standout for Jacksonville’s Mandarin High School. His former coach, Bobby Ramsey, is doubling down on Jones’ claims.
“He was a Pop Warner legend, no doubt,” Ramsay said, via NESN’s Zack Cox. “That was the first thing you heard about him when he came to Mandarin — him as a youth player. He was definitely a guy who had made a name for himself … on the Pop Warner circuit down here. He was a kid that had done it big at that level.”
Douglas made a name for himself as a senior, recording 72 catches for 1,382 yards and 16 touchdowns. Mandarin made the Class 8A State Championship.
Now, Douglas is on the NFL stage making an early impact for a Patriots team looking for a playmaking wide receiver. The sixth-round pick out of Liberty could turn out to be the steal no one saw coming for New England.
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