FOXBORO, Mass. — As he strolled out to the Gillette Stadium practice fields Tuesday, A.J. Brown paused, smiled and reflected.

Seven years after a fateful draft-day decision that left the wide receiver in tears, Brown was finally about to run routes in a Patriots helmet for the first time. Even after months of trade rumors linking him to New England, it all felt surreal.

A short while later, Brown caught himself daydreaming during a practice drill, still in awe that he was now playing for his “childhood team.”

“I was like, ‘Man, this is real,' ” Brown, whom New England acquired from the Philadelphia Eagles in a blockbuster trade one day earlier, said in his introductory news conference. “… ‘Dang, I’m a Patriot.’ … Obviously, I know this ain’t heaven, but it’s close to it.”

Brown grew up far from Foxboro in Starkville, Miss., but his cousin was a Patriots fan, so he became one, too. He idolized Tom Brady. After a standout career at Ole Miss, he hoped New England would draft him with the final pick of the first round in 2019.

But Bill Belichick chose N’Keal Harry instead, arguably the most glaring of the legendary head coach’s series of botched picks in the late 2010s and early 2020s. Brown tumbled to pick No. 51, where Mike Vrabel’s Tennessee Titans snatched him up.

“That was a tough night,” Brown said. “I joked about it earlier; I said the Patriots have been breaking my heart over the years. But that night, I was looking forward to getting picked, going in the first round. I was projected as a first-round pick. Obviously, things can go off another way, and at the 32nd pick, they took another receiver.

"As soon as the pick came in, I was already in my car, leaving my draft party. I went back to my room, I went in the closet and just kind of tried to gather myself. Because I was just disappointed. (New England was) where I wanted to be. Obviously, I wanted to play with Tom, and that didn’t happen. But everything happens for a reason.”

We’ll never know whether choosing Brown, a three-time second-team All-Pro, over Harry, who’s now out of the league, might have extended the tenures of Brady or Belichick. But Vrabel is hoping his arrival can further elevate the performance of last season’s NFL MVP runner-up, Drake Maye, and the offense around him.

The big-bodied 28-year-old has been one of the NFL’s top pass-catchers since he entered the league, topping 1,000 yards in six of his seven seasons across stints with Tennessee and Philadelphia. He was the No. 1 receiver on an Eagles team that reached back-to-back Super Bowls and won it all in 2024, and he’s expected to fill that same role for New England, topping a depth chart that currently features free-agent signee Romeo Doubs, Mack Hollins, Kayshon Boutte, Kyle Williams, DeMario Douglas, Efton Chism III and a handful of undrafted rookies.

Learning offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels’ system and developing chemistry with Maye will take time, but Brown said he was immediately impressed by the third-year quarterback’s poise on the field and command in the meeting room. Asked what excites him about playing with Maye — whose deep-ball ability and effectiveness against man coverage should mesh well with Brown’s skill set — Brown replied: “Everything.”

The Patriots worked Brown in slowly in his debut practice, giving him just a handful of reps in competitive 11-on-11 drills. He caught one pass during the non-padded session, on a hitch route against rookie cornerback Karon Prunty. Brown wore No. 1, which he chose over the No. 11 he sported at his previous NFL stops as a sign of respect to Julian Edelman.

“I’m creating my own legacy here and just getting back to my roots,” said Brown, who noted that he wore No. 1 at Ole Miss and in high school.

He also wants to gain the respect of New England’s players, several of whom raved about his talents even before the long-rumored trade was finalized on Monday. Brown said the members of the coaching staff asked him to lead a stretching line during practice, but he declined, saying he’s “got to earn that.”

Brown sidestepped a question about the internal dysfunction that led to his exit from Philly, which included complaints about the Eagles’ offense and a soured relationship with Eagles QB Jalen Hurts. He also downplayed concerns about his knee.

The Patriots felt confident enough in his health to trade a 2028 first-round pick and a 2027 fifth-rounder to acquire him, and Brown, who missed two games last season and four in 2024, passed his physical.

“No injury, nothing to worry about,” Brown said. “… Maybe in four years, I’ve missed one game from a shot to the knee, so that’s nothing to worry about. I’m good. I’m ready to go.”

Vrabel, McDaniels and Patriots wide receivers coach Todd Downing all expressed excitement about Brown’s arrival. McDaniels compared his rare physicality as a pass-catcher to Rob Gronkowski’s. Downing, who also coached Brown in Tennessee, raved about his competitiveness and football IQ, and said he has “no concerns” about Brown fitting in personality-wise within New England’s receiver room.

All three believe adding Brown will lift an offense that hasn’t featured a wideout of his caliber in years. Brown can’t wait.

“To the fans: It’s time,” he said. “Better late than never. We’re right on time. I’m so excited.”

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