Christian Wilkins is a rare breed.

Those who have followed his football journey from Springfield to high-prized recruit at Clemson to first-round pick in the NFL are more than aware of that. But now the message is coming across loud and clear to some of the greatest names in the league -- like Bill Belichick.

Ahead of the New England Patriots’ regular-season finale against the Miami Dolphins, Belichick named Wilkins among the young talent present on a growing Dolphins team. That comes after Belichick called the Springfield native an "outstanding player" earlier this season.

Clearly, Belichick is aware of the rookie defensive end’s presence as a factor on Miami’s roster. But how much of Wilkins’ football journey has Belichick witnessed? Plenty, it turns out.

When asked about Wilkins’ development over his rookie season, Belichick was quick to point out Wilkins’ high school career Suffield Academy in Connecticut that launched him into becoming one of the nation’s top high school recruits. The Patriots coach noted that, while major college football programs rarely come up to New England, Wilkins had the best of the best in college football sending scouts to Connecticut to try and court the five-star talent.

“They were all there for him and he went to Clemson, had a great four-year career there, stayed there his senior year, won a national championship and is one of the real success stories of New England football," Belichick said.

So what’s Belichick’s scouting report on Wilkins? The Patriots coach noted that, while Wilkins scored his first NFL touchdown last week after lining up as a fullback on offense (something he did back in college), his true prowess comes as a big-yet-athletic defensive lineman.

“He’s a big guy,” Belichick said. "He’s a good athlete. He’s smart and tough, so I’m sure he can help them any place he can help them. ... He’s a versatile player. He’s athletic. He’s big. He’s a 300-pounder and runs (the 40-yard dash) in the high 4.9′s, five (seconds) flat, whatever it is, and is a very athletic guy. "

Wilkins was the first draft pick made by former Patriots assistant Brian Flores, now the head coach in Miami. Wilkins, the No. 13 overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, has had a strong start to his career. Belichick noted that the Dolphins often play their defensive ends, including Wilkins, on the inside. That means that Wilkins is often tasked to be a space-eater (a Richard Seymour or Lawrence Guy type) playing more like a defensive tackle on the inside.

While in that role, Wilkins has played in all 15 games so far this season, notching two sacks, two passes defended and is currently tied for the sixth-most tackles on the team with 53. So far, Wilkins’ NFL career has gotten off to a promising start, to the point where Belichick referred to him as “one of the real cornerstones and building blocks for coach Flores and the Dolphins program.”

The Dolphins started the season in disastrous fashion, going 0-7 out of the gate, losing their first two games by a combined score of 142-10. However, Miami has really turned things around in recent weeks, going 4-4 in their last eight games.

No longer is there open speculation that the Dolphins are tanking. Instead, there are some quiet (but genuine) signs of optimism about the future of the franchise.

Wilkins, a charismatic presence in the locker room and rising force on the field, figures to be a big part of that.

Pretty good for a football player from New England.

The Patriots play the Dolphins at 1 p.m. EST Sunday at Gillette Stadium.