Mack Hollins is the guy. In a wide receiver room that includes Romeo Doubs, the Patriots are leaning on Hollins to set the pace during drills, and that's a statement about where this offense is headed under Mike Vrabel's system. It's not flashy. It's not glamorous. But it matters.
Hollins has always been the kind of player who wins through consistency and effort—the guy who runs crisp routes, understands leverage, and doesn't beat himself. When you're installing a new scheme in Year 1, that's exactly who you want leading. Doubs has the talent to be special, no question. But Hollins being out front in team drills signals confidence in his reliability as a foundational piece while the rest of the room develops.
This is Vrabel football. The Patriots aren't going to ask you to believe in potential alone. They're going to show you day-to-day execution, and right now, Hollins is the standard-setter. If he's running sharp, staying disciplined with his releases, and moving the chains, then Doubs and the rest of the receiving corps can build around that. The ceiling depends on whether Doubs can break loose and create vertical spacing, but the floor—and the trust—starts with Hollins.
The real question is whether this group can develop into something more than functional. We're talking about a Patriots offense that needs to generate consistent production. One guy leading drills is fine. One guy being the only reliable target would be a problem. Watch whether Doubs steps up alongside Hollins as September progresses. That's where you'll find out if this receiver room has enough to keep defenses honest.