As we begin the final stretch before training camp, here's a daily look at some Patriots on the roster where we'll individually preview them heading into the 2015 season. Today's edition, Patriots receiver Aaron Dobson.
Anyone who watched the highlights of what Aaron Dobson did during his time at Marshall should have been salivating when the Patriots took him in the 2nd round back in 2013. In fact, when the Patriots held their pre-draft event that year, there was a lot of time spent during the presentation leading up to the roundtable with ESPN Boston's Mike Reiss and former linebacker Tedy Bruschi that focused on a massive highlight reel full of some of the incredible receptions he made during his college career.
Factor in his great hands along with the fact he finally gave the Patriots a bigger receiver at 6'3", and it appeared New England had found a weapon that would make Tom Brady even more dangerous and their offense more explosive.
So far through two seasons, injuries have been his downfall and have kept him from living up to his potential. But for the first time in two years Dobson is heading into camp healthy and all indications appear that he's ready to finally prove that his best years are still ahead.
2014 RECAP:
Dobson suffered a foot injury toward the end of his rookie season in 2013, which ruined what had been a fairly decent start for the former Marshall receiver, and it went downhill from there. Offseason foot surgery kept Dobson limited for all of the preseason and he was never able to get into gear during 2014. In fact, a trip out to Green Bay was the last time fans would see him after he lasted just four snaps, pulling up lame near the end of the third quarter following a deep pass play from Brady that saw him suffer a hamstring injury. The timing of the injury was bad because it was a night where it was a physical game that saw New England's receivers get beat up. So to see Dobson leave the field and not be able to tough it out, at the time, soured a fan base that let out a collective groan when the news later came out after he was placed on injured reserve.
DID YOU KNOW?
Dobson's first career reception was a touchdown in Week 2 of his rookie season at home against the New York Jets, with Dobson catching a 39 pass from Tom Brady just two minutes into the game to put the Patriots up 7-0. Dobson's reception, at the time, also extended Brady's consecutive regular season touchdown streak to 50 straight games.
2015 OUTLOOK:
This offseason Dobson has been working out in Arizona in preparation for the upcoming season, and appears focused and determined to get his NFL career back on track. When he first came into the league the dynamic of the offense has changed quite a bit, with Edelman emerging as a larger player in the offense, as well as the addition of Brandon LaFell, who proved to be one of the most critical additions as a possession receiver during New England's championship run in 2014. Adding in Dobson gives the Patriots additional size and speed on the outside, and with tight ends Rob Gronkowski coming back along with newly acquired Scott Chandler, this is an unbelievable opportunity for Dobson to go out and win some one-on-one battles and have a big season.
At the end of the day, the sky is the limit for Dobson, and after being a spectator during the Patriots' Championship run, it sounded like during OTAs that he's looking forward to getting back out there this season.
"I'm just out here trying to have fun," Dobson said back during OTAs. "Making myself a better receiver, trying to stay on top of my playbook and play hard and play fast."
Hopefully, if all goes well, this finally will be his year.
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