New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick praised rookie wide receiver Malcolm Mitchell earlier this week, comparing Mitchell’s football intelligence to that of former Patriots wideout Deion Branch.
Branch also likes what he’s seen so far from Mitchell, who’s been one of Tom Brady’s favorite targets over the past four weeks.
“I’ve watched his game, and one of the things that stands out to me is the confidence that Tom Brady has in him,” Branch told ESPN.com’s Mike Reiss. “As a young guy, that’s not the norm. I’m watching (Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels) create plays for him, Tom make him his first read, and when that happens with a rookie receiver, it’s only great things (ahead).”
Branch pointed to Mitchell’s 6-yard touchdown catch during Monday’s win over the Baltimore Ravens as an example of the young wideout’s strong connection with his veteran quarterback.
“That’s a 3-by-1 set on the slant, and you could tell that was something they created just for him on the front side (as the lone receiver),” Branch told Reiss. “As soon as Tom touched the ball, he went straight to him. You see that, and start to think, ‘This could be special.’ ”
Branch was a favorite of Belichick’s during the wide receiver’s two stints in New England.
“Deion was probably one of the smartest receivers we’ve had in here, especially as a rookie,” Belichick said Tuesday on WEEI’s “Dale & Holley.” “He picked up a lot of things, and Malcolm has some of the same qualities. I don’t know if it’s quite at the Deion level or not, but somewhere in there.”
After a quiet start to the season, Mitchell has caught 21 passes for 263 yards and four touchdowns over the Patriots’ last four games.
Thumbnail photo via Bob DeChiara/USA TODAY Sports Images
