FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- The 2017 season has been filled with new beginnings for cornerback Stephon Gilmore after signing a five-year, $65 million free-agent contract with the New England Patriots in March, and he's enjoying the experience.

"Everything happened fast," he said of the opening of free agency. "I didn't know where I was going to be, but I always saw these guys on film and I was like 'I could fit in over there, playing with those guys.'"

Though there were some rocky moments on the field early on, and then a three-game stretch in which he was out with a concussion, things have settled down of late. Gilmore has played the past two games and drew praise for his work.

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"I think Steph's doing a good job," head coach Bill Belichick said this week on sports radio WEEI. "He's had a couple big assignments with [Demaryius] Thomas last week and Michael Crabtree this week. I thought he competed well against those guys. He'll have another big one this week [against Miami]."

Belichick added that the 6-foot-1, 190-pound Gilmore has been "professional, works hard every day, has a lot of experience, and understands how to play that position."

Gilmore, 27, who grew up in Rock Hill, South Carolina, shares his "football journey" as part of ESPN.com’s weekly feature:

When he first started playing football: "Probably 6-7 years old -- running back for the Demons. I've been playing ever since. I had been playing every sport and my dad put me in football. He's basically been with me the whole way."

Favorite players growing up: "One of my favorite corners of all-time was Aeneas Williams. Deion [Sanders] probably was, too. Growing up in South Carolina, you had Atlanta right down the street so I was a Michael Vick fan."

Role models in his life: "My dad [Stevie]. He was always hard on me as a kid. I never really understood why, but he always had confidence in me and knew I could be something special. Ever since I was a little kid, he had me backpedaling and 3-cone drills, and all that. He really pushed me to believe in myself and be who I am today."

Favorite football memories of South Pointe High School: "I was the quarterback, didn't play defense. I enjoyed that. My first year, it was a new school, so we only had a ninth-grade [team] and JV. My second year was when we moved up to varsity. We were 4-and-whatever. And then the third year, we got better, 8-4. Then the last year, we won the state championship. That's probably one of the best moments, winning that state championship."

Stephon Gilmore was the No. 10 overall pick in the 2012 draft by Buffalo: "When I came out as a junior, I had a third-round grade, but I knew in my heart I was better than that." Joe Robbins/Getty Images

Enrolling at South Carolina: "A couple of players from my hometown went there, and a lot of my role models growing up and people I talked to and asked for advice, like Sheldon Brown -- he was with the Eagles for a couple of years -- and Johnathan Joseph, he's with the Texans. Ko Simpson, another player that played up a little bit. It seemed like a lot of DBs made it from South Carolina, so that's one reason I picked it. I actually graduated high school early, and left in the second semester; I had always wanted to play corner and went in there and worked for my spot and ended up starting freshman year."

Top football memories at South Carolina: "Probably beating Alabama when they were the No. 1 team in the country."

Meeting his wife Gabrielle in college: "She ran track at South Carolina and is very competitive, too. When I first saw her, I knew she was going to be the one. I saw her walking on campus and was like 'Who is that?' I didn't say anything, because I'm not the type of person to go up and talk to somebody like that. I waited a couple times, saw her again, talked to her, messaged her on Facebook, and that was it."

Preparing for the 2012 NFL draft: "When I came out as a junior, I had a third-round grade, but I knew in my heart I was better than that. I just worked hard, trained hard, and ran a pretty good time at the combine. Then they invited me to the Green Room [at the draft] that fast."

Selected No. 10 overall by the Bills: "I was excited. At the same time, I had not heard much about Buffalo, and was thinking it might be closer to New York City. I didn't really know about Western New York. But that was a good experience and I think Buffalo helped my life out -- slow pace -- at the beginning of my career."

Top football memories with the Bills: "Pretty much the teammates I had there. They were good teammates and I met a lot of great guys that took me in and taught me a lot as a rookie. We still have a relationship today."

Describing life as a Patriot: "It's hard work. You're never really satisfied about doing what we're supposed to do. You're getting hungrier and hungrier every day, trying to get better. I love my teammates; getting closer to them."

What he loves about football: "No one is going to be perfect every time, but that's what makes me want to go more -- I want to try to be perfect. But one thing about this game -- you can lean on your teammates, and yourself, to come together as a team and play for the ultimate goal."

Summing up his football journey: "It's been fun. Pretty much to me, nothing has really changed thinking-wise: You play, then you have film, then you have what people say. Now it's just on more of a bigger scale the more and more you play. You have to have that mindset to be relentless and play hard and believe in yourself."