The New England Patriots had their first training camp practice of the summer on Wednesday. This team was most of the most improved groups in the league. From the coaching staff on the sideline, led by Mike Vrabel, to new players on both sides of the field, fans are excited to see what training camp will reveal about the Patriots' roster.
In the first session of camp, rookie receiver Kyle Williams was someone who stood out. According to Boston Sports Journal's Mike Giardi, Williams made a couple of catches when being defended by Christian Gonzalez.
The rookie WR also got some love from his quarterback, Drake Maye.
When speaking to the media after practice, Maye said, "(Williams) made a big time catch, strong hands…I think he’s coming along. He’s looking good. I told Gonzo today — I’m gonna come at (Gonzalez) backside. I’m not gonna leave him bored out here at practice. Good for a rookie to make a play like that, and I think he’s gonna get better and better.”
Drake Maye talks about a nice first day for rookie WR Kyle Williams, who had a nice backside one-on-one catch over Christian Gonzalez:
— Tom Carroll (@yaboiTCfresh) July 23, 2025
“He made a big time catch, strong hands…I think he’s coming along. He’s looking good. I told Gonzo today - I’m gonna come at Gonzo backside.… pic.twitter.com/CDNbAy6mtC
Patriots WR Kyle Williams Excelled in 1st Training Camp Practice
It's great to see the rookie pass catcher make waves already. The Pats made it a priority to get better receivers around Maye, and Williams could become a solid weapon. Throughout the spring, he was catching the attention of the media. In both OTAs and minicamp, Williams made big-time plays, and it's continued into training camp.
Outside of Stefon Diggs, who's a full go for camp, there are no spots on the WR depth chart that are locked away. This is the exact type of start that fans should want to see from Williams, considering he was drafted with the 69th overall pick in April.
The Patriots were sure to bring in guys with their first three picks that will help the offensive side of the ball (Will Campbell, TreVeyon Henderson, and Williams). It's not a shocker since New England was 31st in the NFL in total offense (291.9) and 32nd in passing offense (176.1).
This offense was very slow last season, and that's something else that Williams can help change. He ran a 4.40-second 40-yard dash and averaged 17.1 yards per reception in his final collegiate campaign. With Washington State in 2024, Williams had 70 catches for 1,198 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns.
In The Athletic's Dane Brugler, he wrote that Williams is making "dynamic speed cuts to create separation out of breaks and tracks the ball downfield and can take it out of the air," when discussing the rookie playmaker's strengths.
Patriots fans have already seen some of those traits transfer over to the football field, and time will tell if Williams will find more ways to stand out in practice.