Liberty wide receiver Demario Douglas was selected in the 6th round of the 2023 NFL Draft on Saturday by the New England Patriots with the 210th overall pick.

Douglas is the 2nd Liberty player taken in the NFL Draft over the past two seasons as quarterback Malik Willis was drafted by the Tennessee Titans in the 3rd round last year. This marks the first time since the 1989 and 1990 drafts where the Flames have seen players drafted in consecutive years.

The 5’8″, 180 pound athlete and native of Jacksonville, Florida, Douglas had 79 receptions for 993 yards and six touchdowns this past season for the Flames. He also had 110 rushing yards and another score on seven carries while averaging 24.8 yards on 13 kickoff returns. His 2022 season capped an impressive time at Liberty as he entered the draft following the conclusion of the year.

In 2020, as a redshirt-freshman, Douglas had 32 receptions for 363 yards and 3 touchdowns while also have a punt return for a touchdown. In 2021, those numbers increased to 52 receptions for 701 yards and six touchdowns, leading the team in all three categories while returning another punt for a score.

Douglas is the 4th wide receiver ever drafted from Liberty and the most recent since Antonio Gandy-Golden was drafted by Washington in the 4th round of the 2020 NFL Draft. He also joins Fred Banks and Kelvin Edwards as former Liberty wide receivers that were selected in the NFL Draft. Banks was picked in the 8th round of the 1985 draft by the Cleveland Browns, and Edwards was taken by the New Orleans Saints in the 4th round of the 1986 draft.

Douglas now resides in one of the best franchises in the League. He is the second receiver taken by the Patriots in the draft so far this year, joining LSU’s Kayshon Boutte who was also taken in the 6th round. Other receivers on the New England roster that take passes from quarterback Mac Zones and Douglas will be fighting for a roster spot include DeVante Parker, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Kendrick Bourne, Ty Montgomery, and Tyquan Thornton.