New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye had an interesting comparison for wide receiver DeMario “Pop” Douglas on Tuesday.
Maye compared Douglas to his former North Carolina teammate, wide receiver Josh Downs.
Downs served as a security blanket receiving target for Maye in his final year with the Tar Heels. He hauled in 94 receptions for 1,029 yards and 11 touchdowns. It was clear he was a big-time playmaker considering he averaged 10.9 yards per reception in 2022.
He went on to be selected by the Indianapolis Colts in the third round of the 2023 NFL draft.
“[Douglas and Downs] do a lot of the same things. You can’t guard them in a phone booth,” said Maye. “Twitchy and speed—those are two things you can’t work on. So [Douglas] got them both and look forward to see what he does.”
QB Drake Maye on WR Pop Douglas: Reminds me of former UNC teammate Josh Downs with speed and quick-twitch. pic.twitter.com/4kOBTNPGIT
— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) June 4, 2024
Downs is certainly not a bad comparison at all. Douglas possesses a similar skill set as a player. If anything, it’s a testament to what a dynamic playmaker he is on the field.
Hopefully, Maye and Douglas will have the same connection, if not better, than the one he had with Downs in college.