Patriots Rookie WR Training With Rival Superstar

In an attempt to channel his inner “Godfather,” New England Patriots rookie receiver Kyle Williams is “keeping his friends close, but his enemies closer.”

As NFL players continue to enjoy a brief respite from organized on-field activity, Williams was recently spotted working out alongside New York Jets’ All-Pro cornerback Sauce Gardner under the direction of athletic trainer Akil Bordelon, per his Instagram. Williams and Gardner were also joined by Miami Dolphins safety Ashton Davis and Patriots rookie wide receiver Jeremiah Webb, among others.

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Since being drafted at number 69 overall, Williams is seemingly making himself quite at home within the Patriots’ offense. His self-professed “electric” style of play is expected to add a dimension to the Pats’ passing game which has been seldom seen in recent years. In theory, he should provide Josh McDaniels’ offense with a big-play threat who is capable of stretching the field.

Having split his collegiate career between Nevada and Washington State, the Baltimore, Maryland native played in 50 career games — 25 for the University of Nevada from 2020-22 and 25 for Washington State from 2023-24. During that span, he amassed 248 receptions for 3,608 yards and 29 touchdowns. He added 17 rushing attempts for 87 yards. In 2024, Williams started all 13 games and led team with 70 catches for 1,198 yards and 14 touchdowns.

Still, Williams stats demonstrate only a portion of his potential. Perhaps best known for his speed and ability to separate from his defender, the 22-year-old is also an adept route-runner. He also possesses the skill to start-and-stop at the beginning of his stride to make defensive backs and coverage linebackers miss in all areas of the field. At his best, Williams is quite capable of turning a short-spaced route into a high-yardage touchdown

Conversely, Garnder may provide some of the toughest competition available to the Pats young rookie. Since being selected fourth overall by the Jets in the 2022 NFL Draft, the 24-year-old has been named the league’s defensive rookie of the year — along with being selected as a two-time first team All-Pro. Gardner finished last season with 49 combined tackles (36 solo), nine pass deflections, one interception, and one sack in 15 games and 15 starts.

New England’s rookies, including Williams, are required to report by July 19, while veteran players must be in attendance by July 22. The team will conduct their first training camp practices on July 23 on the fields adjacent to Gillette Stadium.