Insider Drops Bold Claim on Impressive Patriots UDFA

The New England Patriots' wide receiver room may feature one of the most intriguing training camp battles across the NFL this summer.

Not that the Patriots have a ton of elite talent at the position. Realistically speaking, they don't. However, a fierce competition is brewing, as there are only six open slots, and 12 receivers are vying for them.

In the midst of everything, a surprising candidate seems to be emerging to steal a spot on the 53-man roster, and it's someone you never would have expected: undrafted free agent Efton Chism III.

New England has been very busy in an attempt to upgrade its receiving corps over the past several months. It signed Stefon Diggs and Mack Hollins in free agency. It drafted Kyle Williams. But apparently, it's Chism who is making most of the noise.

In fact, Greg Bedard of The Boston Sports Journal recently said on his podcast that he fully expects Chism to make a serious push to make the cut for Week 1 of the 2025 NFL campaign.

“I’ve already taken him seriously,” Bedard said. “It’s going to be hard to keep him off the roster. Look, the guy just, he gets open really well, quickly, and he catches the ball."

Chism has already drawn comparisons to former Pats slot receivers like Julian Edelman, Wes Welker and Danny Amendola, and given how much of a need the Patriots have at wide receiver, it certainly may be difficult for Mike Vrabel to leave him off the team if he really is that good.

The Monroe, Wa. native was a force at Eastern Washington and is coming off of a 2024 campaign in which he hauled in 120 receptions for 1,311 yards and 13 touchdowns.

We'll see if Chism can continue to impress in minicamp, training camp and the preseason.