Patriots Shrine Bowl: Bill Belichick's Band-Aid, Bill O’Brien’s Arrival

Who were New England Patriots coaches Bill Belichick and Bill O'Brien talking with in Las Vegas?

LAS VEGAS -- The New England Patriots' coaching staff began its first day of work at the East-West Shrine Bowl, one of the premiere showcase events for college football seniors ahead of the NFL Draft.

The Patriots, led by receivers coach Troy Brown, will be coaching the West team, while Bill Belichick has taken on a supervisory role for the week.

Of note, newly hired offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien was in attendance for the first of four practices this week. The session began at 10 a.m. (PT), shortly after the Atlanta Falcons-led East team concluded its session.

From standouts to duds and everything in between, here's a rundown of the West team's practice session ...

Risers

In a receiver room filled with big bodies, Liberty's Demario Douglas (5-8, 175 pounds) won't stand out with his size. But his style certainly does. Douglas showed natural hands in the NFL Combine-esque "gauntlet" drill and was explosive and nimble in run-after-catch situations.

Liberty WR Demario Douglas has had a good day. Tons of juice. pic.twitter.com/XbWZ0jnbFh

— Daniel Flick (@ByDanielFlick) January 28, 2023

Contrasting to Douglas is Hampton wideout Jadakis Bonds, who's 6-3, 205 pounds and made perhaps the catch of the day - a one-handed snag for a touchdown in redzone drills. Jackson State receiver Dallas Daniels, who's 5-10, 176-pound frame is a mixture of Douglas and Bonds, also had a solid day, impressing as a route runner.

On the offensive line, Arkansas center Ricky Stromberg drew praise from Patriots coaches during the team period after helping spring a big run. Stromberg described himself to Patriots Country earlier this week as a "physical player who has great football knowledge; someone who just loves football."

On the other side of the ball, Toledo defensive tackle Desjuan Johnson was one of the more disruptive players, creating penetration on multiple occasions.

Boston College linebacker Jaiden Woodbey was the most impressive at his position, showing fluidity and cover skills in drills.

The defensive backs on the West team had an outstanding day, as UAB's Starling Thomas, Ball State's Nic Jones, Louisiana Tech's Myles Brooks, Minnesota's Terell Smith and Rutgers' Christian Izien all starred in cover drills and made plays on the ball.

Another standout - and perhaps the loudest - was Oklahoma punter Michael Turk, who's booming punts were heard regardless of what field he was on. Turk showed directional punting, hangtime and a big leg, sending Douglas, in as a punt returner, sprinting backwards in special teams drills.

Fallers

None of the three West team quarterbacks - UCLA's Dorian Thompson-Robinson, Illinois' Tommy DeVito and Appalachian State's Chase Brice - had a particularly strong day, though Thompson-Robinson finished fairly well. Some on site believe he may be forced to transition to slot receiver in the NFL.

North Carolina State linebacker Isaiah Moore didn't look particularly fluid - and that's not a surprise, as one Shrine staff member told Patriots Country that Moore is a two-down middle linebacker and standout tackler, not so much the athletic coverage player.

Indiana cornerback Jaylin Williams was on the receiving end of a few catches in one-on-ones and fell out of phase at times.

Injury Updates & Non-Participants

Boston College receiver Zay Flowers is viewed as the top player in attendance by scouts and game directors alike, but he was in sweatpants on Saturday.

Flowers donned his practice jersey and was closely monitoring the receiver vs. defensive back one-on-ones but did not participate. He was not listed as being injured on the roster sheet given to media.

Two other players - USC running back Travis Dye (knee) and Michigan tight end Luke Schoonmaker (shoulder) - were held out of the session. Schoonmaker told Patriots Country that he won't be doing much this week besides speaking with team personnel.

Elsewhere, Pittsburgh defensive lineman Habbakuk Maldonano suffered a knee injury that required attention and tape but he quickly re-joined his team on the sidelines.

Bill & Bill: Supervisors in Action

Belichick and O'Brien may be taking the backseat to Brown and staff this week, but they're staying active in Las Vegas.

Belichick, donning a massive Band-Aid verticall across his right cheek, spent time chatting with Falcons coach Arthur Smith, first on the practice field before taking it inside, and later spoke with Las Vegas Raiders general manager Dave Ziegler.

Further, Belichick specifically called over Southern Miss cornerback Eric Scott Jr. and Harvard defensive lineman Truman Jones to deliver teaching moments and pointing another thing out to Daniels.

O'Brien, meanwhile, had a lengthy discussion with the quarterbacks - which began by asking Thompson-Robinson when the game takes place (Thursday, 5:30 PT) - centered around progressions and reading the field.

The Patriots' coaching staff will return to the field with the West team on Sunday for practice No. 2, starting at 8:15 a.m. (PT).

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You can follow Daniel Flick on Twitter at @DFlickDraft

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