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Patriots' DeMario Douglas Emulates Former Super Bowl-Champion Wide Receiver

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Griffin Goodwyn | Last updated Jun 13, 2025 11:20 AM ET

When Tom Brady's New England Patriots teams were in their heyday, some of the best wide receivers in the NFL made their home in Foxborough. Randy Moss, Deion Branch and Wes Welker are among the many wideouts who caught passes from, arguably, the greatest quarterback in professional football history.

DeMario Douglas is conscious of this fact. He told reporters on Monday that he frequently watches film reels of wide receivers from past Patriots offenses led by current offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, whose most recent stint with the team lasted from 2012 to 2021.

According to Douglas, there is one wide receiver who stands out ahead of the rest: Julian Edelman, a three-time Super Bowl champion and member of the New England Patriots Hall of Fame who spent the entirety of his 12-year career with the team.

"It's got to be Jules," Douglas said when asked about his favorite wideout to watch. "We got cutups of Mack Hollins running some of the plays when he was with the Raiders and stuff like that. [But] definitely watching Jules, I have Edelman, for sure."

Douglas and Edelman have had numerous conversations since the former joined the Patriots organization ahead of the 2023 campaign. Douglas said, whenever these conversations happen, he takes advantage of the opportunity to gain insight from a player he has tremendous respect for.

"Every time I see him, he gives me nothing but good knowledge. I watch his film, and I'm like, 'How did you get open on this?'" Douglas said. "He knows the game, and he's done it. So, every time I pick his brain, I try to get all the knowledge I can."

The Patriots selected Douglas with a sixth-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. Since then, he has emerged as one of the team's go-to targets, totaling 1,182 receiving yards and three touchdowns on 115 receptions during his first two seasons in the league.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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