Patriots training camp stock watch: Boutte flashes potential he showed at LSU

FOXBORO -- Patriots defenders had to drop and do push-ups. They'd lost the period. And their teammates on the offensive side of the ball let them know it. For an extended period of time.

When Mac Jones hit DeVante Parker on a throw deep down the field with Christian Gonzalez in tight coverage during a one-on-one period of practice, that appeared to be the winning rep. Parker danced with Kendrick Bourne. Jones joined them. There was trash-talking. Eventually it looked like someone on the defensive side told them to knock it off. They didn't. Tempers flared briefly. 

Spirited session. You might expect that kind of thing with the pads on. You might expect that kind of thing when two evenly-matched sides of the ball are competing at a high level. But for all of camp last summer, the competitive periods of practices weren't all that competitive. The offense was often on the losing end and it was the defense that celebrated loudly.

We said it yesterday after a positive day for the offense, and we'll say it again today: What a difference a year makes. 

Here are the players who stood out on both sides of the ball during Wednesday's entertaining back-and-forth workout...

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Patriots receivers

Name a Patriots wideout, and in all likelihood he made a play on Day 7. (Except for one former second-rounder whom we'll get to in a minute.) 

Parker might've been the best of the bunch. Outside of stumbling in the 1-on-1s and losing a rep to Jonathan Jones, he won two additional reps -- including beating Gonzalez -- and then scored in the red zone by reeling in a jump-ball throw with Gonzalez in close coverage. There was some jostling for position there, but I give him credit for using his body and boxing out the rookie corner. Not enough to warrant offensive pass interference, in my opinion.

JuJu Smith-Schuster had trouble shaking free of coverage in the 1-on-1s, winning two of his four reps. But he had a remarkable toe-tapping touchdown in the back of the end zone during the red zone period that might've been the play of the day because of all the communication at the line of scrimmage that occurred on both sides of the ball leading up to the score. Smith-Schuster also caught a crossing route where I noted he came back toward the line of scrimmage aggressively to catch the ball, which is something Jones surely would appreciate. Had he faded up the field as the ball approached, it might've been broken up. Veteran-level attention to detail there.

Kendrick Bourne caught a pass in competitive 11-on-11 work, providing an outlet for Jones when pressure started to seep into the backfield. He also won both his reps against Jack Jones, including using a subtle fake to create a massive amount of separation on one of his wins.

Demario "Pop" Douglas continues to stand out in every practice. He snapped off a route that created a ton of space between him and Shaun Wade for an easy catch in 1-on-1s. In the same period, he also high-pointed a football over Marcus Jones for another eye-opening grab. 

Fellow rookie Kayshon Boutte stood out on a couple of different occasions Wednesday. The sixth-rounder beat the first-rounder Gonzalez in 1-on-1s. He later won his rep on Jonathan Jones. After that, working with the first group offensively, he made a diving catch just before going out of bounds along the right sideline. Strong day for him after starting camp quietly. 

Tre Nixon had his moments Wednesday as well. He made a grab on a deep shot from Bailey Zappe between Jack Jones and Jalen Mills. He also caught a touchdown over the middle from Zappe in a red-zone period, uncovering in the end zone and allowing Zappe's well-anticipated throw to find him without any issue. 

Keion White

The rookie second-rounder had a sack on Zappe in 11-on-11 periods and also worked his way past Conor McDermott decisively in drills. With Matthew Judon not participating in practice again, White has been mixing in with the top defenders. He's been consistently impressive.

Marte Mapu

Another rookie. Another good day. He got his hands on footballs in two different 11-on-11 periods, showing good instincts and anticipation. He's also quick to fire downhill on run plays and short passes, as he showed in the red-zone portion of practice when he blew up a swing pass to Pierre Strong for no gain. 

Riley Reiff

The veteran tackle has had a difficult time keeping pass-rushers in front of him in camp to this point, but with the pads on, and in the first day of 1-on-1s, he won both of his reps.

Isaiah Bolden

Yet another first-year player, the Jackson State product came up with a diving interception of Trace McSorley. His size and speed have helped him stand out occasionally on the defensive side through the first week or so of camp. The assumption in some corners of the organization after Bolden was drafted was that he would be a special-teams-only option. That may be the case. But he's making a case for himself to continue to see work defensively. 

Deatrich Wise/Davon Godchaux

Godchaux had a sack in 11-on-11 work Wednesday. (As did Christian Barmore, who seems to notch one a day.) He also was right in the middle of things as the top defense stuffed the top offense on the goal line three times at the end of practice.

Right next to him? Wise, who also helped break up the one goal-line pass thrown by Mac Jones. Wise simply tossed running back Kevin Harris aside (and into Mac Jones) as he worked into the backfield to help force the incompletion.

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Kevin Harris

Filling in for Rhamondre Stevenson -- who, like Trent Brown and Matthew Judon, essentially got a day off from practice -- Harris had a tough time finding the end zone on the goal line. He couldn't hold up in protection on the first goal-line snap of the day. Then he was stuffed by Wise and Godchaux. Then he was stuffed by Jalen Mills. It wasn't until Pierre Strong came in that the offense scored in that particular period.

If ever the team needed some evidence that it needed a veteran back who can hit holes with authority and find open spaces when there don't appear to be many there, Wednesday's goal-line period might've been it.

Jahlani Tavai

Tavai has been serving as the fullback in goal-line sessions. It hasn't gone well. He also would've been flagged for a defensive hold while trying to cover J.J. Taylor during 1-on-1s. 

Tyquan Thornton

After barely making a peep in practice from a production standpoint through six workouts, Thornton didn't practice Wednesday. He was present to start the session but quickly disappeared to the lower field and did not return. (Brown, Judon and Stevenson eventually made their way back up to the practice field at the end of the session.)

Bill Murray

After having a difficult time handling his 1-on-1 assignments, Murray gave up his spot at right guard -- he had been filling in for the injured Mike Onwenu consistently -- to Atonio Mafi. Then it was second-year player Kody Russey who took over at left guard. Mafi had been the primary fill-in on the left side when Cole Strange went down injured earlier this week but his shift to the right opened up a slot for Russey.

Christian Gonzalez

It's been a very solid camp for Gonzalez, but he wasn't able to come up with any plays on the football Wednesday. He lost 1-on-1 reps to Boutte and Parker. And he was out-muscled by Parker in the red zone later in the day. Learning opportunity for the 21-year-old.