It has been a while for New England fans to be collectively excited about a rookie player as much as they have been this offseason since the Patriots signed undrafted wide receiver Efton Chism out of Eastern Washington.
The explosive slot receiver has made quite the impact since arriving in Foxboro and became a superstar in the spring with his performances during OTAs and rookie mini camp. That has only grown since the start of training camp and now the preseason, as Chism continues to prove he deserves a spot on this year’s 53-man roster.
His production against the Vikings on Saturday, working with quarterback Joshua Dobbs instead of Drake Maye, was impressive, as he recorded 6/6 receptions for 71 yards and a touchdown to end the first half. It prompted quite the support from GM Eliot Wolf, who spoke to WBZ Boston during halftime.
“From Day 1, it’s just been consistency. He’s really been a hard worker. He’s put in the time. He’s in there every day with wide receiver Todd Downing at like 5 o’clock in the morning. The fruits of his labor are paying off here. On that drive, he had three third-down conversions. The sure willpower of breaking tackles and got into the end zone there. We’re excited about him.”
Chism earned even more praise from his head coach, proving where he stands even more in the eyes of the Patriots coaching staff.
Efton Chism is quickly becoming a household name for the Patriots
Besides becoming a fan favorite already before even stepping foot onto the field in a real Patriots game, Chism is also winning over his coaching staff for his work ethic and, of course, his production.
Mike Vrabel praised him for the kind of player he is and is proving to be, which already looks like a wide receiver that Drake Maye could work with efficiently and could make a significant impact on the offense’s production this year.
#Patriots HC Mike Vrabel on undrafted WR Efton Chism’s effort on the field:
“It doesn’t matter how you get here, only thing that matters is what you do when you get here. I think that’s another great example of that. Chiz, when given opportunities, has taken advantage of ‘em.” pic.twitter.com/NdiYrgVSSU
https://twitter.com/LosTalksPats/status/1956815539999035807?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1956815539999035807%7Ctwgr%5E1f945e4618deb07f084cff99b43c13d38ece658b%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fmusketfire.com%2Fpatriots-just-made-their-stance-on-efton-chism-crystal-clear-01k2v1hy060v
He has already been compared to some Patriots greats like Danny Amendola and Julian Edelman, and beyond a few players who have been deemed roster locks to this point (Stefon Diggs, DeMario Douglas, and Kyle Williams), it’s looking more and more like Chism is the fourth one to secure a lock for the 2025 season.
Based on what we’ve seen and the consistent hype he receives from the Patriots’ coaches, there’s reason to believe that he will be one of the most productive players this fall. Chism proved he could be just that during his final season of college by recording 120 receptions for 1,311 yards and 13 touchdowns.
If he could bring even half of that to Foxboro, the offense would be on fire. Considering what Vrabel and Co. keep saying about him, it looks like he will have the chance to do just that, too.
