FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- In a matter of two weeks, in part due to attrition due to injuries to others, Phillip Dorsett has become a key cog of the New England Patriots' wide receiver corps.

Setting up a few lockers away from Tom Brady, the 5-foot-10, 185-pound Dorsett already feels more comfortable in his new surroundings after being acquired from the Indianapolis Colts in a Sept. 2 trade.

“I’m light years, way more comfortable than last week. I was comfortable last week in what they were asking me to do, but this week, I’m learning more. Just getting in there and getting the reps, it’s helping me a lot,” he said.

Dorsett, 24, is one of just three healthy receivers on the current roster, along with Chris Hogan and Brandin Cooks.

A Fort Lauderdale, Florida, native, he played with Patriots running back James White at St. Thomas Aquinas High School and is known mostly for his speed. But in sharing his “football journey,” he talked about how he hopes to show that he’s not just a burner but a well-rounded receiver. And the lessons he learned from his father, Phillip Sr., still resonate.

When he first started playing football: “I was 6. My dad just threw me out there, he was the coach and was like, ‘Let’s go! You’re ready.'”

Favorite teams and players growing up: “I was a Dolphins fan, and Miami Hurricanes, because I was from down there. I was a Michael Vick fan because when I first started playing, I was a quarterback and you saw how he scrambled; when you’re a quarterback and you’re young, that’s all you really do, is scramble. I was a Santana Moss fan. When I started getting out of quarterback and started watching Miami, he was a guy that stuck out to me, even when he got to the NFL. And honestly, I was a Tom Brady fan. I’m not just saying that because I’m here. It was just the way he won all the time. I like how he had that fire.”

Role models growing up: “My dad. A hard worker; I feel like I got that from him. Whatever he did, he worked a lot and never had a bad attitude about it. He did a lot to just help us survive, me and my sister. He still works for the school board [in South Florida]; he’s going on 27-28 years.”

Favorite football memories at St. Thomas Aquinas High: “Winning states my senior year. The year before, we lost in the game before states. We had a better team that year overall, but the next year after that, our focus ... we ended up going undefeated and winning.”

Why University of Miami was the right choice for him: “Growing up a Hurricanes fan, I didn’t even pay any other schools close attention. As soon as they offered me going into my senior year [it was a done deal].”

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Favorite football memories at Miami: “Senior year. I feel like everything came together and I became a complete player. ... We had a lot of good moments that year. My junior year, we ended up beating N.C. State on the last play of the game [Dorsett scored the game-winning touchdown].”

Drafted by the Colts in the first round in 2015 (No. 29 overall): “I was shocked. The Colts, I never really had a meeting with them. I never really thought they paid much attention [to me]. But I was happy, getting drafted, it was a dream.”

Summing up his two-plus years with the Colts: “It was cool. I had a lot of ups, a lot of downs, but mostly ups. I had a good time. Nothing I would change, because I feel like whatever happened to me, if it was negative, I’ve grown from it. I wouldn’t change anything.”

What he learned from the experience in Indianapolis: “Just stay positive. Things can be going bad, but you have to stay positive and get through it. You can’t worry about the stuff that’s going bad. Just focus on the good that can come from it.”

Traded to the Patriots on Sept. 2: “Shocked again. Even more shocked this time. It came out of nowhere. I thought I was good. I heard of trade rumors, it happens all the time, but when it happened, I was shocked. I never had a feeling like that. My body went numb. I thought it through and then said, ‘This could actually be good for me.’"

First impressions of the Patriots: “This is a great atmosphere. This team; it’s all about winning. That’s it. That’s the standard.”

What he loves about football: “Competition and all the training, everything that goes into a football game, practices and all that. That’s the best part.”

What he prides himself on as a player: “Being a smaller player, everybody just wants you to be a speed guy. I just want to be a complete player.”

Summing up his football journey: “It’s been amazing. It’s been a roller coaster, but hey, the things that happened I always learned from them. You can’t make the same mistake twice. But I’m living out my dream.”