This Patriots Rookie Looking Like Sixth-Round Steal In Training Camp

FOXBORO, Mass. — At 5-foot-8, 192 pounds, Demario Douglas is one of the smallest players on New England’s roster. But he’s been one of the biggest stars of Patriots training camp thus far.

The sixth-round draft pick out of Liberty is carving out an early role for himself as a shifty slot receiver with excellent route-running ability. He’s seen daily reps with Mac Jones and the offensive regulars and has been one of the most active pass-catchers in competitive team drills, hauling in a dozen receptions over the last three practices.

“Oh, we noticed him,” veteran safety Jabrill Peppers said after Monday’s practice, the team’s first in full pads. “He’s out there making plays. Same thing you guys are seeing, but we saw it early on in OTAs.”

In addition to his knack for getting open — which Douglas used to shake Marcus Jones and Myles Bryant on touchdown catches in previous practices — Peppers also appreciates that Douglas is willing to throw his undersized body around. A prime example of that came Monday when Douglas laid a textbook block on a wide receiver screen, earning him a round of cheers from his teammates and an atta-boy from offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien.

“What’s surprised me the most is his physicality,” said Peppers, one of the hardest-hitting players on the Patriots’ defense. “He’s a small guy, but he’s tough as nails. I think that will bode well for him.”

“He’s a small guy, but he’s tough as nails.”

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Jabrill Peppers on rookie wideout Demario Douglas

It’s too early to predict what Douglas’ role might look like this season, but through five camp practices, he looks like a very strong candidate to land a roster spot as a late-round rookie. He seems to have a healthy lead over fellow roster-hopeful wideouts Kayshon Boutte, Tre Nixon, Malik Cunningham, Ed Lee, Raleigh Webb and Jalen Hurd, even if most of his receptions in competitive drills have come from backup quarterbacks Bailey Zappe and Trace McSorley.

Boutte, drafted 23 spots ahead of Douglas in April (187th overall), missed the fourth practice of camp and has been mostly invisible otherwise.

“Douglas had a good spring, and he’s followed it up with a few couple good practices here,” head coach Bill Belichick said Sunday. “Again, training camp is a marathon, it’s not a 100-yard dash. So, just keep grinding them together day after day. … Everybody has got a long way to go, but we’re making progress, guys are working hard, we’re getting better. So, we’ll see where it goes.”

If Douglas stays on this trajectory and secures himself a spot on the 53-man roster, the Patriots could look to use him similarly to how they deployed do-it-all cornerback Marcus Jones on offense last season. Coincidentally, Douglas said Jones was one of the players he modeled his game after before he entered the NFL.

The diminutive Douglas, who’s studied film of previous Patriots slot stars like Troy Brown and Wes Welker, also would be a useful changeup for a receiving corps that’s expected to feature 6-foot-1 JuJu Smith-Schuster, 6-3 DeVante Parker, 6-2 Tyquan Thornton and 6-1 Kendrick Bourne. He’s worked as a punt and kick returner in camp, as well, alongside players like Jones and Myles Bryant.

Douglas was a versatile playmaker for Liberty last season, catching 79 passes for 993 yards and six touchdowns while also rushing five times for 105 yards and one score, and handling punt- and kick-return duties for the Flames. The Patriots’ staff coached Douglas at the 2023 East-West Shrine Bowl, which Belichick said “didn’t hurt” as he made the transition to New England.

“I want to be able to play anywhere, because being versatile has always been in my game,” Douglas said Sunday. “I’m ready to play wherever he wants me to play, especially special teams but anywhere. You can put me anywhere and I’m ready to come play.”