According to Stanford’s undergraduate admissions website, students “enjoy a remarkable degree of academic freedom’’ thanks to the university’s unconventional quarter-based calendar.

For Patriots defensive back Jordan Richards, a second-round draft pick in 2015, Stanford’s summer schedule also added a remarkable degree of difficulty to being an NFL rookie, since the All-Pac-12 first-teamer missed most of his first training camp while he earned his diploma.

“It’s just playing football,’’ Richards said Thursday, putting last season’s delayed arrival behind him. “Last year came in a little late, but I mean it’s the same thing: You show up to work, you work hard, you ask questions, you just try and make every day better. It’s the same thing this year.’’

The 23-year-old Richards was on the field for just 21.79 percent of the Patriots’ defensive snaps last season but held a more substantial role as a special teamer, seeing 51.42 percent of special teams snaps.

Richards finished last year with 17 tackles, two defended passes, and a forced fumble. He also logged two tackles on special teams.

“He’s a smart kid, he works hard, he caught up, but it’s not quite the same as being there from day one,’’ said Patriots coach Bill Belichick. “He had a really good offseason and he’s been on the field. He doesn’t miss anything, he’s a durable kid that’s smart, really pays attention, just gets better every day. I think he’s taken some good steps. Again, it’s a very competitive position there, but he’s definitely gotten better.’’

Belichick said knowing Richards would be absent for much of last year’s camp did not affect his draft stock, but the coach admitted the tardiness does slow a rookie’s development.

“In the process, they can catch up, and again, I’m not saying Jordan didn’t catch up,’’ he said. “There’s pretty good competition at [defensive back], so I don’t know that it would’ve changed. I’m not saying he would’ve been a 90-percent play time guy had he been here from Day 1, but it certainly didn’t help him any.

“If that was the answer we’d tell them all to just stay home and show up in the middle of June.’’

Belichick praised Richards for his ability to play as a safety and as a hybrid linebacker. The coach noted the 5-foot-11-inch Richards “pretty much did it all’’ at Stanford, excelling in coverage all over the field.

“He played a lot of deep-field coverage in college in a pretty good passing league, so I think he can play back there,’’ Belichick said. “He can definitely play down so he has good versatility. Sometimes those situations are a function of who the other guy is, too. In our case we’re probably fortunate in that really all of those guys have the ability to play strong and free, up and back, whatever you want to call it.’’

Now in his first full training camp, Richards hopes to be able to utilize that versatility within the Patriots’ defense.

“You just want to be able to do as many things as you can and do them at a really high level,’’ he said. “So I don’t want to just be a cover safety or just be a free safety and that’s how it is for every guy in this room. We all want to be around the football, we all want to be on the field and helping this team any way we can.’’

Richards has taken numerous reps against tight ends Rob Gronkowski and Martellus Bennett this summer, but he insisted the competition doesn’t matter.

“We don’t want balls getting caught on us, period,’’ Richards said. “We don’t care if it’s Gronk or some dude in the stands. We don’t want to see people catch the football.

“They’re good football players, they’ve done a lot in this league thus far. But we’re good football players, too, on our side of the ball. So we’re always going to compete and we don’t want to give up a pass just like they want to catch every pass so each and every rep, we’re working.

“You want to play against the best. We’re going to face a whole lot of good tight ends this year that don’t play for the Patriots. So playing against those guys in that tight end room, we’re getting better and they’re getting better and that’s what it’s all about.’’

In addition to facing some of the best tight ends in the game, Richards noted he is also fortunate to work with some of the league’s best defensive backs.

“It’s just such a good room all together, guys that have played a lot of football here, guys that I can learn from, and guys that are helping me out,’’ he said. “We’re just trying to get better as a group and that’s what’s best. The seven of us, eight of us in that room all got to get better, so no matter what happens out there, if it’s the next man up, so be it, we’re ready to go.’’

Emily McCarthy can be reached at emily.mccarthy@globe.com. Follow her on Twitter at @emilymccahthy.