Patriots WR Shuts Down Legendary NFL Comparison

The New England Patriots made a big addition to their receiving corps in the NFL Draft when they landed Washington State standout Kyle Williams in the third round last month.

That came on the heels of the Patriots signing both Stefon Diggs and Mack Hollins in free agency, so their receiver room should certainly be much improved next season.

Williams was not a household name heading into the draft, but he is already generating considerable buzz in New England. Heck, the 22-year-old has actually drawn comparisons to legendary wide out Steve Smith.

When asked about the Smith comparisons, Williams was understandably flattered, but also doesn't really want to hear it.

“It means a lot, honestly. Somebody I watched when I was a kid, but for me, I still have to accomplish a lot of things just for me to accept that comparison,” Williams told reporters. “Me and him, we chop it up here and there. LA guys, just having that resemblance of a home state and everything, that’s just good on our connection.”

That was absolutely a smart answer by Williams. He gave his props to Smith, but also curbed the expectations by making sure everyone knew that he had a long way to go before even really being mentioned in the same breath as the former Carolina Panthers superstar.

Williams hauled in 70 receptions for 1,198 yards and 14 touchdowns this past year, establishing himself as one of the better wide outs in this draft class.

The six-foot pass-catcher actually began his collegiate career at UNLV in 2020 and spent three years with the Rebels before transferring to Washington State after 2022.

With Drake Maye in desperate need of a legitimate No. 1 target, the decision to select Williams could pay massive dividends for the Pats, especially if he turns out to be as good a player as Smith was during his heyday.