The New England Patriots are learning what folks down in Jacksonville, Fla., have known for years:
Demario Douglas is a darn good football player.
The 5-foot-8, 192-pound slot receiver has been a training camp sensation in his first NFL summer. He’s broken ankles with his quick-twitch route-running, breezed past would-be tackles in 1-on-1 drills and even shown off his blocking chops.
Though most of his targets in competitive team drills have come from backup quarterback Bailey Zappe, Douglas has seen daily reps with Mac Jones and the starting offense, evidence that New England views the sixth-round rookie as a legit candidate to not just crack the 53-man roster, but also help the team this season.