FOXBORO — Though it had been little more than a year since the last time Brandon Tate stepped on a football field in pads, to him it seemed like at least twice that long.

When you're 22, enduring the grind of rehabilitation and itching to make your debut as a professional football player, every day seems twice as long as it actually is.

A third-round draft pick of the Patriots' this spring, Tate tore the ACL and MCL in his right knee last Oct. 11, playing for his North Carolina Tar Heels against Notre Dame. Already one of the most feared return men in the college game, the 6-foot, 183-pounder was starting to turn heads as a receiver when his senior season came to an abrupt end.

Tate began this season on the reserve/non-football injury list, which gave him the first six weeks of the regular season to continue to get ready to get back on the field. On Tuesday, New England started the clock on both him and tackle Mark LeVoir, who was on the physically-unable-to-perform list with a shoulder injury, and now has 21 days to either place the men on the 53-man roster or season-ending injured reserve.

Tate, a North Carolina native, was all smiles Wednesday as he chatted with reporters.

"It's been a long, long time," he said. "I'm glad this moment has come."

The Patriots are probably feeling the same way. After releasing disappointing wideout Joey Galloway and learning that promising rookie Julian Edelman had suffered a broken arm against Tennessee, New England is thin in two areas: receiver and returner.

Edelman had 21 catches in five games (he missed the season opener) and had also recently taken over as the Pats' primary kickoff and punt returner after Laurence Maroney began to struggle.

Despite that, Tate does not feel he'll be pushed any harder.

"There's no pressure. I'm just going to do what I can do — learn the plays, go out, practice hard and get better every day," he said.

The NCAA record-holder for total return yardage at 3,523, Tate had 16 receptions for 376 yards and three touchdowns in the Tar Heels' first six games of the season last fall. He played alongside Hakeem Nicks, a first-round pick of the Giants.

Tate has been able to participate in all of the team meetings and has been taking notes as he learns both the offensive and special-teams schemes. Each night he goes back over what he learned that day in the hopes that he would be mentally ready to go when the time came for him to practice and play.

He also has been wisely leaning on Randy Moss and Wes Welker, and hasn't been shy about asking questions of the younger receivers. In a refrain heard from other inexperienced receivers who have been in New England in recent seasons, Tate said Moss has been a particular help.

"Oh, man, he helps me out with everything on and off the field. On the field he tells me the routes, the concepts, stuff like that," he said. "We were just talking not too long ago; he was just getting me ready for (practice)."

After not playing for a year, Tate has work to do. He must get into game shape, and as a raw receiver, he must work on his route-running, which is a particular focus in New England's offense.

He also must show both the Pats' coaching staff and Tom Brady that he can be counted on.

"I just (have to) try to get the coaches' trust so they can put me in the game," he said, adding that Brady was just as important to impress. "It is, because if Tom doesn't trust you he's not going to throw you the ball, so I'm just going to go out there and practice and just try to do everything right."

Though New England has three weeks to evaluate Tate, he expressed confidence that he would be able to play this Sunday against Tampa Bay if called upon.

"I'm real happy. I feel comfortable, I have the trust back in the knee, I'm ready to go," he said. "I feel real confident in myself…If they give me the call, I'll be ready. It is the perfect situation; I'm just going to go out there, get the coaches' trust, get Tom's trust, and we'll see."

smanza@projo.com