Slot to like about Berrios
FOXBORO — Replacing Danny Amendola is certainly no simple task, but when it comes to evaluating slot receivers, the Patriots know a thing or two.
The Pats lost Amendola to the Dolphins in free agency last month, which left a void in the receiving corps even with Julian Edelman coming back from injury. And while he may not exactly be an immediate replacement, wide receiver Braxton Berrios was selected in the sixth round of the NFL draft yesterday, a player reminiscent of other receivers who have come through Gillette Stadium over the last decade.
The similarities are obvious. Berrios, a Miami product, is small in stature at 5-foot-9, 183 pounds. He’s quick, he’s mostly played in the slot as a receiver, and he has experience as a punt returner.
It sounds a lot like the prototype of some Patriots receivers past and present, but he’s not concerned about the comparisons, and he wasn’t any less surprised that they called him yesterday.
“I try to focus on football and what I can do to help the team,” Berrios said. “So, I wasn’t obviously paying attention to that. Yeah, I was surprised to say the least. I’m not responsible for what everybody else thinks or assumes. You know, I’m just a football player.”
He is, however, looking forward to learning under Edelman and the rest of the Patriots’ receiving corps, which includes Philip Dorsett, a former Hurricanes teammate.
“There’s no doubt that I can’t wait to go in there the first thing and learn from everybody — everybody from Edelman to Dorsett and everybody else,” Berrios said. “That’s the main thing that I’m going to be focused on coming in is just trying to soak up everything I can.”
Berrios said he met with Patriots receivers coach Chad O’Shea, who came down to Miami during the pre-draft process, and he said he “walked away with a great feeling about it.” He’ll face difficult competition in training camp, but the Patriots liked his skill set enough to give him a chance.
“This kid is really smart,” said Patriots director of player personnel Nick Caserio. “He played inside the formation at the University of Miami. Really productive, really tough. Good traits, smart, good quickness . ... He had more opportunities this season at Miami and made the most of them.”
More ups and downs
The Patriots didn’t complete their draft without a flurry of activity on the trade market. After making four trades Friday, they made another four yesterday, as they continued to trade down and receive future draft capital.
The Pats began the day with five picks and, after trades, ended up making six selections while adding three picks for next year’s draft. They now own 12 picks in 2019, which includes six in the first three rounds.
Fill in blanks
After taking linebackers Ja’Whaun Bentley and
Christian Sam in the fifth and sixth rounds, respectively, and then adding Berrios, the Patriots filled out their draft with depth on both sides of the ball. In the seventh round, they took LSU quarterback Danny Etling, Western Carolina defensive back Keion Crossen and Florida State tight end Ryan Izzo.
Crossen was the second defensive back the Pats took after selecting
Duke Dawson in the second round, and while he wasn’t invited to the combine, his numbers stack up against some of this year’s best prospects. He partici- pated at Wake Forest’s pro day and ran a 4.32 40-yard dash and posted a 39.5inch vertical leap.
“That’s where he showed up and tested extremely well,” Caserio said. “Showed up on a big stage, just in terms of a workout perspective and really blew it out of the water. He’s undersized, but he’s athletic, he runs well, he’s explosive, he’s real competitive.
“Great attitude . . . . This guy has a lot of energy. Real positive, really upbeat, so hopefully he brings that mentality, that mindset to New England when he shows up here in a couple of weeks.” . . .
Etling has some familiarity with both Bentley and Dawson from college. Before he transferred to LSU, the quarterback began his career at Purdue, where he was teammates with Bentley.
“I’m pretty good friends with Ja’Whaun,” Etling said. “He’s a hell of a player. I’m excited to be teammates with him again.”
He also has some experience playing against Dawson during their battles in the SEC.
“We played against (Florida). He’s a great player,” Etling said of Dawson. “(The Patriots) know what they’re doing. He’s a very talented player. We saw him as a talented person to go up against. It was a challenge for us. He’s going to be a great player in this league.”