Tag: Demario Douglas

Reading the room: Evaluating wide receivers on Patriots’ roster

Here’s a closer look at the Patriots’ wide receiver room and expected roles in 2023.

With OTAs in the rearview and the Patriots’ roster likely set for camp, barring a few backend roster additions—or a possible DeAndre Hopkins signing—we’re going to assess the wide receiver position group.

This is an opportunity to get into the why some players are on the 90-man roster and the role they could play if they make the team.

In the NFL, only 53 members make the active roster, with 46 active for game day (excluding the third QB due to a rule change this offseason). The Patriots can also carry 16 players on their practice squad. So even if some in this position group do not make the roster, they could stick around.

Let’s take a look at the current Patriots’ wide receiver room and what the philosophy could have been when filling out the summer roster for building the room. As always, it’s not all about finding one receiver. Scheme fit and role are just as important in filling out position groups.

5 biggest takeaways from Day 2 of Patriots’ open OTAs practice

It was an eventful day at the Patriots’ second open OTAs practice.

There was a fight, standout plays by rookies and more promising signs from quarterback Mac Jones and the offense at Day 2 of the New England Patriots’ open OTAs practice.

This was only the second time the Patriots’ OTAs session was made public to the media.

During an earlier media conference, coach Bill Belichick noted the team would have a lighter practice day. So things were a bit slower than usual on the football field.

Of course, that still didn’t stop tempers from flaring with linebacker Anfernee Jennings and offensive guard Cole Strange getting into a scuffle that led to a punch being thrown by defensive tackle Christian Barmore.

Both Barmore and Strange were pulled from practice after the incident, but they were still allowed to stay on the field and watch from the sidelines. It was an eventful day for the Patriots, to say the least.

Here are five of the biggest takeaways from Tuesday’s practice:

5 things to watch for at Patriots’ first open OTAs on Wednesday

We’ll get our first look at the 2023 Patriots on the field on Wednesday.

The New England Patriots are set to open their doors to reporters for voluntary team organized activities on Wednesday.

So it’ll be the first time the team peels back the curtains on the entire 2023 team with both veterans and rookies on the field together. It will also be the team’s first practice back since they were stripped of two OTA sessions for a scheduling violation.

This isn’t training camp, but that doesn’t mean things won’t get competitive during the workouts. Even without pads, players are already vying for on-field opportunities down the line, while also looking to improve overall as a team.

After missing the playoffs last season, the Patriots have a lot of work ahead of them with little time to do it. Here are five things to watch for at Wednesday’s OTAs session:

SEC coach says ‘special’ WR Demario Douglas could start for his team

SEC coach shuts down anyone questioning Demario Douglas’ talent over his school background.

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Rookie sixth-round draft pick Kayshon Boutte isn’t the only New England Patriots receiver with a chance to prove himself as one of the biggest steals in the 2023 NFL draft. Don’t sleep on the possibility of Demario Douglas, another sixth-round pick by New England, doing the same.

Douglas has mostly flown under the radar due to being undersized and coming from Liberty University.

But anyone with a true knowledge of Patriots history knows the team has done wonders with smart, undersized receivers that are reliable with great hands.

Auburn coach Hugh Freeze, who coached Douglas through his entire college tenure at Liberty, has some major praise for his former player.

“Y’all [the Patriots] have been great at moving those guys around and putting them in iso situations. I think that is his strength,” said Freeze, via ESPN’s Mike Reiss. “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.”

The fact that Freeze said Douglas could start at an SEC powerhouse school like Auburn is noteworthy. Douglas proved to be a high volume receiver for the Flames in his final season with a career-high 79 receptions for 993 yards and six touchdowns.

The Patriots have excelled at finding players with similar skill sets, like Julian Edelman, Wes Welker and Danny Amendola to fit a certain mold in the offense.

If anything, it means Douglas landed in the perfect spot to maximize his potential and opportunities as a young NFL receiver.

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Patriots announce signings of eight rookie draft picks

Patriots officially announce the signings of eight rookie draft picks.

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There have been reports of the New England Patriots agreeing to terms on deals with some of their 2023 rookie draft picks. Now, the team is announcing the official signings of eight rookie contracts.

The Patriots have locked up fourth-round draft picks Chad Ryland and Sidy Sow, fifth-round pick Atonio Mafi, sixth-round picks Kayshon Boutte, Bryce Baringer, Demario Douglas and Ameer Speed, and seventh-round pick Isaiah Bolden.

That leaves cornerback Christian Gonzalez, edge rusher Keion White, linebacker Marte Mapu and center Jake Andrews as the only Patriots draft picks that have yet to be signed.

Those contracts are expected to be done any day now.

The Patriots came out of the 2023 draft with an unusually large draft class.

But they’re obviously plowing through the paperwork and making room for what they hope will be future difference-makers for the team. They’ll need all of the help they can get after missing the playoffs last season.

If the incredibly tough 2023 schedule is any indication, it could be a long road back to relevance for New England.

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Patriots’ speedy WR Demario Douglas agrees to terms on rookie contract

Patriots WR Demario Douglas reportedly agrees to terms on his rookie contract.

Rookie wide receiver Demario Douglas has reportedly agreed to terms with the New England Patriots on his first NFL contract. ESPN’s Mike Reiss reported the news on Wednesday.

According to Reiss, it’s a four-year, $3.97 million deal for the former Liberty Flames star wideout.

Douglas nearly eclipsed 1,000 yards in 2022, when hauling in 79 receptions, 993 yards and six touchdowns. He averaged 12.6 yards per reception with the Flames.

The Patriots are in desperate need of explosive playmakers at the receiver position, and Douglas can be electric with the ball in his hands. He’s also a burner with the ability to speed past defenders and pick up huge chunk yardage downfield.

Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien will be able to get creative in the ways he’s able to get the ball into Douglas’ hands. He’s a smaller receiver at 5-foot-8, but the Patriots should be able to use him in similar ways as the Miami Dolphins use Tyreek Hill.

Of course, that’s assuming everything comes together for the rookie wideout. It’s a big jump from Liberty football to the NFL. We’ll see how soon, if at all, he’s ready to make that leap.

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Projected rookie contracts for each of the Patriots’ 2023 draft picks

What the 2023 rookie contracts could look like for the Patriots.

There will be plenty of mouths to feed for the New England Patriots with the team selecting 12 rookies in the 2023 NFL draft.

Patriots coach Bill Belichick worked his way up and down the draft board, accumulating a bevy of picks and cashing in on as many players as possible. The influx of youth should serve as a breath of fresh air for a Patriots team that needed to build depth at multiple positions, most notably cornerback, offensive line and wide receiver.

With the draft now in the rearview, the next objective for the Patriots is signing all 12 of their rookie draft picks to a deal. They’ve already signed former LSU wideout Kayshon Boutte and offensive guard Atonio Mafi to their rookie deals.

However, there are still 10 more players that have yet to put pen to paper. Here’s a look at the projected values of those contracts, via Spotrac.com.

ESPN names Tyquan Thornton as one of biggest winners in 2023 NFL draft

The Patriots’ draft approach at receiver could say a lot more about Tyquan Thornton than people realize.

The hope heading into the 2023 NFL draft was that the New England Patriots would be aggressive in addressing some of their offensive holes, most notably at the receiver position.

Granted, they took a couple of sixth-round fliers on Kayshon Boutte and Demario Douglas, but they never went after a high-end prospect, despite having an opportunity to take the best on the board.

A big reason for that decision might have been second-year wideout Tyquan Thornton, who ESPN’s Bill Barnwell named as one of the biggest winners of the draft.

The Patriots are clearly showing a lot of faith in the potential growth and development of their 2022 second-round draft pick. His ability to emerge into a key offensive playmaker for the team under offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien’s leadership would be a game-changer in New England.

Barnwell wrote:

Thornton looks to be heading toward more meaningful snaps. Despite suggestions the Patriots would look to target a wide receiver in Round 1, coach Bill Belichick passed on Jaxon Smith-Njigba to select cornerback Christian Gonzalez. Belichick didn’t draft a wideout until Round 6, when he used a pair of selections on Kayshon Boutte and Demario Douglas.

Thornton showed glimpses throughout the 2022 season, particularly in his ability to separate from defenders. But he never popped in terms of production in an offense that was a complete letdown.

Perhaps things will be different with new coaches and more NFL experience under his belt.

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2023 NFL draft: RAS scores for every Patriots rookie

How do the RAS scores look for the Patriots’ 2023 NFL draft class?

The New England Patriots entered the 2023 NFL draft with 11 picks and came out with 12 players. It could be seen as a situation of coach Bill Belichick throwing as many darts at the board as possible just to see what sticks.

But make no mistake, these weren’t aimless throws.

In a draft that was heavy on the defensive side of the ball, the Patriots opened up by taking three defenders that could be foundational playmakers of the future for the team. They also addressed the offensive line by adding three interior enforcers, along with taking a flier on two promising receivers for the skilled positions.

They even came away with a kicker and punter in this year’s draft. Belichick checked every box and didn’t let a single pick go to waste. We’ll see if it pays off in the 2023 season.

Today, we’re looking at every Patriots rookie’s Relative Athletic Score (RAS), which is a tool created by Kent Lee Platte that measures a player’s athletic testing to their size, while also taking history into account. The Patriots came away with at least four players with a 9.00 score or higher.

Here’s how the entire 2023 rookie class scored:

Patriots rookie WR Demario Douglas led NCAA in this category

Don’t sleep on Demario Douglas’ potential as a future game-breaker for the Patriots.

The New England Patriots tested their luck on wide receivers in the later rounds of the 2023 NFL draft, and there’s one in particular that could have some high-end potential.

That’s Liberty receiver Demario Douglas.

Douglas had a successful statistical career at the collegiate level. He recorded 79 catches for 993 yards and six touchdowns in 2022. He has the ability to stretch the field, as he averaged at least 10 yards per reception in each of his four seasons with the Flames.

All told, he recorded 172 catches for 2,193 yards and 16 touchdowns in four years of college football.

Analytically, his skillset was one of the best in the entire NCAA. A new graphic put out Tuesday indicated he had the highest career grade among all draft eligible wide receivers, per Pro Football Focus.

Although Douglas was a later-round selection, he does have the potential to find his role on the roster with his speed and playmaking ability. He is a bit on the smaller side at 5-foot-8 and 170 pounds, but his potential and speed make him worthy of keeping an eye on.

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