The first time Bill Belichick met Nick Caserio, it was at a pre-draft workout at the Cleveland Browns' facility in the spring of 1998. Caserio was a college quarterback from Division III John Carroll University in his early 20s who knew he had no shot at the NFL, but got a look-see from the Browns coach thanks to JCU coach Tony DeCarlo.

Belichick, of course, was a film nut — DeCarlo knew the stories of the coach as a young boy, tagging along with his father to break down game tape at Navy. And so when he introduced him to the young quarterback — who also had an unmatched zeal about film study — he knew he had helped bring together a pair of kindred spirits.

“He was watching film all the time,” DeCarlo said of the young Caserio. “He was always there, learning everything he could about an opponent. That’s why we were able to give him leeway to change plays at the line of scrimmage. He would do his own scouting and absolutely know what was going on. He was a great study who got his work done.”

It’s that kind of like-minded approach to the game that would lead Caserio to a job as a personnel assistant with Belichick and the Patriots in 2001, thanks to a strong recommendation from former college teammate Josh McDaniels, who had been hired by the team earlier that spring.

Caserio steadily working his way up through the New England system the last seven-plus years. Now, he is poised to take his biggest leap. With Scott Pioli gone to Kansas City to try and rebuild the Chiefs, Caserio is his likely successor as the Patriots’ Vice President of Player Personnel.

The people back at John Carroll weren’t surprised at Caserio’s rapid ascent through the Patriots’ front office, and aren’t surprised at the news the 33-year-old will now be working closely with Belichick, helping determine the fates of one of the best teams in the NFL.

“He’s a winner,” DeCarlo said. “I thought he was a winner from the get-go. He came in with the right attitude, the right work ethic, and just got the job done for us. He stepped into the job for us and never looked back.”

Caserio’s resume as a player certainly shows the hallmarks of a winner. He was a starter at quarterback all four years at John Carroll, where the teams compiled a 33-7-2 record, including a 10-2 mark in 1997. That season, the Blue Streaks advanced to the school’s second appearance in the NCAA Division III tournament and advanced to the national quarterfinals.

“He was the most hardworking player I’ve ever seen. That came through every day,” said Greg Debeljak, an assistant at JCU when Caserio and McDaniels were there. “And that carried over into the classroom. Football meant a lot to him. He just put in a ton of time, especially at a Division III college where academics came first.”

After graduating from JCU, he landed a job for two seasons at Saginaw Valley State (1999-2000) before moving on to Central Michigan (2000). He was hired by the Patriots in March 2001 as a personnel assistant, and in his rise through the franchise, Caserio has managed to acquire a sizable background in both the coaching and personnel sides.

He was a personnel assistant in 2001 before switching over to the coaching side, becoming an offensive coaching assistant in 2002 before spending a season as a scout (2003). He spent 2004 through 2006 as the director of pro personnel before taking another turn on the coaching side, this time as wide receivers coach in 2007. He would return to the front office last year to become the director of player personnel.

“Since 2001, Nick has been a tremendous asset to this program through his contributions in both coaching and scouting,” Belichick when Caserio was introduced as wide receivers coach before the 2007 season. “He brings a thorough understanding of our offensive system and personnel and we are excited for his return to the staff.”

Belichick and Pioli were of the same mind on almost every football topic, a gridiron yin and yang that helped produce three Super Bowl titles in four years and create a football dynasty. Can Belichick and Caserio achieve that same level of harmony? The folks back at JCU certainly seem to think so.

“The only thing Nick’s been exposed to is the Patriot Way,” said Debeljak. “He’s been brought up to do this.”

“He was really a winner for us from the beginning, just doing a tremendous job,” DeCarlo said, “and he’ll be a winner for New England too.”

Christopher Price covers the Patriots for WEEI.com.