New England Patriots

Bill Belichick smiled, and other moments from the Patriots’ pro day tour

Bill Belichick at Georgia's Pro Day before the 2018 draft.
New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick watches during the Georgia Pro Day. AP Photo/Todd Kirkland

By Mark Dunphy

1 minute to read

At Georgia’s Pro Day, Roquan Smith knocked over 68-year-old Paul Pasquloni. And Bill Belichick smiled.

Belichick was in Athens to watch Smith, a projected first-round pick, and the rest of the Bulldogs’ prospects. He was leading the linebackers through a drill, with Pasqualoni, the Detroit Lions’ defensive coordinator, holding the pads, when Smith knocked Pasqualoni off his feet. The moment drew a smile from New England’s famously taciturn head coach.

In another drill, Belichick had help from another Lions coach. Matt Patricia, his former defensive coordinator, gave him a hand as they worked with four Bulldogs linebackers. Lorenzo Carter, who grew up a Patriots fan, called the moment “surreal,” but his teammate Davin Bellamy played it down.

“Everybody’s going to be like, ‘Whoa, that’s Bill Belichick.’ But at the end of the day he’s here to work me out,” Bellamy said, per the Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Seth Emerson. “And any coach here that’s here to work me out I’m going to give 110 [percent] for. So I was just locked in and giving it all I had.”

The trip to Athens marked the latest stop on Belichick’s Pro Day tour. He was spotted catching up with old friends in Alabama, meeting a top NC State prospect he knows won’t be on the board for the Patriots (“We’re picking 31st. No chance we see you.”), and talking to a possible Rob Gronkowski replacement in South Carolina. The Patriots have seven picks in the April 26 draft, including the 31st overall selection.