Aug 16, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel looks on during the second quarter against the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

Patriots Undrafted WR Impressing Mike Vrabel

Originally posted on New England Patriots on SI
By Jared Koch | Last updated Aug 18, 2025 7:00 AM ET

The New England Patriots were able to capture a 2-0 start to the preseason during their second of three exhibition matchups on Saturday, ahead of the regular season action, taking down the Minnesota Vikings, 20-12, showcasing some nice upside on both ends of the ball throughout.

And within the contest, there might've been nobody on the field for the Patriots who made a more significant impact than undrafted wide receiver Efton Chism II, bursting onto the scene with six catches for 71 yards, paired along with a touchdown to cap off an impressive night, leading the entire New England receiving room in catches, yards, and the only scorer on the night.

Following the game, Chism's performance managed to catch some strong praise from Mike Vrabel at the podium, where the Patriots' first-year head coach would go on to credit the rookie wideout for taking advantage of his opportunities in a major way.

“It doesn’t matter how you get here. The only thing that matters is what you do when you’re here, and I think that’s another great example of that,” Vrabel said. “Chis’, when given opportunities, has taken advantage of them. We’ve talked about his play strength last week, and I would say that continued to be true this week.”

The breakout comes at a great time for Chism. The Patriots are currently in the midst of a tight position battle when determining which receivers on board might be in line to make their way onto New England's 53-man roster, and who might be the two or three talented names who see themselves as a cut casualty before Week 1.

For Chism, he's now had two dominant preseason showings and a training camp that's been raved about, having the chance to truly put the Eastern Washington product on the map to be a real candidate to finish as one of the six-to-seven names to make that aspired cut.

He came into the fold earlier this offseason as a projected practice squad guy, being a dart throw for a potential rosterable wideout. Now, he's getting closer and closer to certifying his spot in this New England receiving room in your most prototypical "Patriot Way" fashion.

With one more preseason matchup on the horizon vs. the New York Giants next weekend, it gives one last chance for Chism to make a strong impression in an in-game setting, in case he hasn't garnered enough attention to his name already.

This article first appeared on New England Patriots on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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