Patriots rookie receiver reveals secret to deep ball success

Late in the 2025 season, multiple layers of the offense of the New England Patriots have converged into an unexpected strength. That development has been driven in part by rookie wide receiver Kyle Williams, whose efficiency on vertical routes has reshaped the Patriots passing attack.

With New England sitting at 12-3 and preparing for Week 17 vs. the New York Jets, Williams has become a key vertical threat. His three scores of more than 30+ yards have shown how well he tracks second-year quarterback Drake Maye’s touch on deep balls. The Pats need big plays, and the rookie has given them that spark with clean reads at the snap and strong pace downfield.

The secret behind that success surfaced earlier in the week on social media. Sleeper’s Carlos A. Lopez shared a video on X (formerly known as Twitter) of Williams explaining how he diagnoses defensive backs before the snap and turns small mistakes into explosive gains.

“Oh yeah off rip… I can just see your stance and then once the ball’s snapped, if you give me that one little step then I’m gone… Lightning McQueen — Ka-Chow baby.”