Patriots reportedly add former Greg Schiano assistant Ross Douglas to their quality control staff

Even though Greg Schiano stepped down before ever coaching a game as the defensive coordinator for the 2018 New England Patriots, the respect he still enjoys within the organization is obvious. The Patriots’ latest reported hire is more proof of that: per Yahoo Sports’ Pete Thamel, New England has hired Ross Douglas.

Douglas, who will reportedly fill a quality control position in New England, played college football at Michigan (2013-15) and Rutgers (2016-17). The linebacker/safety hybrid went undrafted in 2018 and was invited to the Pittsburgh Steelers’ rookie minicamp on a tryout basis, but was eventually unable to find a home in the NFL.

Instead, he turned his focus on coaching. Returning to Rutgers, Douglas was responsible for player development under head coach Chris Ash and also served as a defensive assistant (2018-19).

After Schiano’s arrival he became a graduate assistant on the defensive side of the ball. Working specifically with the team’s secondary, he helped coach a unit that saw four of its players receive All-Big-Ten honors.

Earlier this year, he was announced as the new cornerbacks coach at Richmond. However, it now seems as if he will not be able to fill that position.

Instead, Douglas is joining a Patriots team that did not have a quality control coach listed on its official 2020 staff. He could fill such a position now, but it would not be a surprise if he was officially announced as either a coaching or scouting assistant — an entry level role of sorts in New England.