Demario Douglas continues to stand out this preseason among wide receivers for the New England Patriots.
The team's sixth-round draft pick out of Liberty University shows quickness and plenty of potential as he prepares for his rookie season. The young receiver sparks intrigue among team personnel and reporters.
One New England insider sees capabilities in Douglas that resemble an All-Pro receiver who also plays in the AFC East.
During an appearance on "Felger and Mazz" on 98.5 The Sports Hub, Greg Bedard of Boston Sports Journal noted that he believes the Patriots could use Douglas in similar ways to how the Miami Dolphins implement Tyreek Hill in their offense.
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"I'm not saying he's this player, but he could be the Patriots' reduced-price (version) of this guy," Bedard explained. "He could be their Tyreek Hill. He's thicker than you think for a little guy, just like Tyreek Hill is. Is he as fast as Tyreek Hill? No, nobody is, but he has that sort of ability. I'm all for speed and twitchiness. They've been missing this for years in this offense."
Douglas's constant improvement since being drafted stands out among the usual process of rookie pass-catchers.
"He's one of the rare rookies that I've seen in my time covering the league where they get into training camp and offseason practices and never stop making progress," Bedard said. "He's always going uphill."
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While Douglas is in no way expected to reach Hill's status as one of the sport's top receivers, both are players with impactful speed as former late-round draft picks after the Dolphins star was selected in the fifth round of the 2016 NFL Draft by the Kansas City Chiefs.
For a group that has lacked true separators and playmaking abilities for a number of years, Douglas does add a new, fast dynamic to the Patriots offense that looks to take a step forward in 2023.
Featured image via Eric Canha/USA TODAY Sports Images
