FOXBORO, Mass. — The New England Patriots predictably drafted a potential Danny Amendola replacement late in the sixth round of the 2018 NFL Draft.
The Patriots grabbed University of Miami undersized slot receiver Braxton Berrios 210th overall. Berrios, who’s 5-foot-9, 184 pounds, ran a 4.44-second 40-yard dash and 6.72-second 3-cone with a 36-inch vertical leap at his pro day.
The Patriots lost Amendola to the Miami Dolphins in free agency.
Berrios caught 55 passes for 679 yards with nine touchdowns as a senior with the Hurricanes. He finished his college career with 100 catches for 1,175 yards with 14 touchdowns and 47 punt returns for 488 yards with one touchdown. He reportedly took an official visit with the Patriots before the draft.
Berrios spent 97.3 percent of his snaps in the slot last season with Miami. The Patriots have a crowded receiver room, but Berrios could be the Patriots’ next productive slot receiver in the mold of Wes Welker, Danny Amendola and Julian Edelman.
Berrios joins Edelman, Chris Hogan, Jordan Matthews, Malcolm Mitchell, Cordarrelle Patterson, Phillip Dorsett, Kenny Britt, Matthew Slater, Riley McCarron and Cody Hollister on the Patriots’ receiver depth chart. There will be plenty of competition at the position in OTAs, minicamp, training camp and the preseason. Berrios’ punt return ability and slot potential could help him crack the receiver rotation, however.
