Patriots WR Studying Former Player’s Film

FOXBORO, MA. — It feels like every year there’s a New England Patriots slot receiver that finds himself compared to one of the three former wide receivers who excelled in New England: Wes Welker, Julian Edelman or Danny Amendola.

On Thursday, undrafted rookie Efton Chism III shared to reporters that he’s been watching film on one of them. 

“Right now, I’m watching – we got a cup up and it’s all Amendola’s catches and all the passes he’s even got targets on. I’m going through and watching that right now, kind of seeing how he ran through his offense with (Josh) McDaniels when he was here, and learn everything I can through that,” Chism said. “Before becoming a Patriot, I didn’t watch a lot of him.”

The Eastern Washington rookie has looked a lot like the two-time Super Bowl champion during his short stint in New England thus far. He’s worked a lot with the second-string unit, utilizing his speed and quick cuts.

He’s also found a way to hone his skills off the practice field. Chism says new Patriot Mack Hollins — who was just activated off the PUP list and made his summer debut on Thursday — has been his partner in late night study sessions. It all started after the veterans asked Chism for a ride home.

“Next thing you know, he was like, ‘Yeah, I’m about to go study.’ I’m like ‘Can I come?’” Chism said. “From there on, it’s kinda been like, yup, every time we get home, that’s what we go do.”

Chism has a number of young players to try and compete with in an already-crowded WR room. With Hollins, Stefon Diggs, DeMario Douglas and Kayshon Boutte already feeling like roster locks, the undrafted Chism knows he needs to go the extra mile and then some to have himself stand out and pencil his name into the depth chart come Week 1. 

“It’a kinda anything I can do,” Chism said. “If that’s being on punt, running down on punt, returning kicks, returning anything.”

And while Chism may hope to replicate the career Amendola had in New England (catching 230 balls and finding the end zone 12 times, including six more in the postseason), he knows he wants to carve out his own path in the NFL. 

“Even if I got to hold, be the three-team holder – whatever it is, I just kinda want to do that (and) do it to the best of my ability,” Chism said.