FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- One of the nice parts about preseason football is that it can introduce us to under-the-radar players who could be carving out a larger-than-expected role.

In 2014 for the New England Patriots, it was cornerback Malcolm Butler. Last year it was running back Dion Lewis.

And if Thursday night is any indication, defensive tackle Anthony Johnson might be that guy in 2016.

Getting his opportunity as the team’s interior sub pass-rusher -- a role most recently held by disappointing 2014 first-round draft choice Dominque Easley -- Johnson showed explosion and quickness in creating pressure up the middle in the Patriots' 23-22 win against the Chicago Bears.

Then after his preseason debut (he had missed the opener with an injury), he drew a large media crowd in the locker room and flashed his outgoing personality by saying, "I like to categorize myself as a silver-back gorilla. Just go out there and be ferocious."

He was, turning in a performance that had many fans asking, "Who is Anthony Johnson?"

Photo: DT Anthony Johnson draws a large media crowd after flashing vs. Bears. He said his game is to get up field. pic.twitter.com/VjPb696RuS — Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) August 19, 2016

A native of New Orleans, he broke the national high school record with 67.5 sacks while playing at Perry Walker High School. He then went on to play at LSU, appearing in 40 games (16 starts) and totaling 77 tackles and seven sacks.

Entering the draft after his junior season -- which some felt was one year too early -- he wasn’t selected and signed a free-agent deal with the Miami Dolphins in 2014. He made the Dolphins’ 53-man roster, with them asking him to bulk up to 325 pounds.

Johnson played seven games as a rookie (2 tackles, 1 fumble recovery) before landing on injured reserve with an ankle injury he said was a result of carrying too much weight. Then spending the 2015 offseason in Miami, he was released at the end of training camp and out of football until Washington signed him to its practice squad in mid-November. At the time, Johnson had trimmed down to 270 pounds.

He spent the remainder of 2015 with the Redskins, never getting promoted to the active roster, and then hoped to earn a roster spot this year but was released May 2.

The Patriots, in a move that hardly generated headlines at the time, signed him to a one-year deal on May 9.

Bill Belichick recalled his first impressions upon having Johnson in for a workout, because Johnson’s physical appearance was notably different.

"Honestly, I didn’t even recognize him when we brought him in for a workout. I looked at him and said, 'Do we have the right guy here?'" he said.

"He’s kind of gone in the other direction from being a big guy and really trimming down and his skills are different. He’s faster, he’s quicker, he’s obviously lighter, doesn’t have as much power but he was an interesting guy. He was a good player coming out of college, an interesting workout, and a guy that’s a lot different than most of our other interior defensive lineman, so we thought in signing him that his skills might complement some of the other players that we have, so we’ll just see how that plays out."

Johnson said he is now at 280 pounds, which he feels is the perfect weight. The Patriots' other defensive tackles -- a group led by 2015 first-round pick Malcom Brown -- are all in the 300-pound category, so Johnson could be a nice complement.

"My game is vertical, up the field, just trying to disrupt stuff in the backfield," he said.

That much was clear on Thursday night.