As the offseason pushes along, New England Patriots fans are paying close attention to what’s happening at OTAs and mandatory minicamp. OTAs and minicamp are a good barometer to see who is standing out and who might have some work to do to secure a spot on the 53-man roster.
With a new regime taking over in New England, OTAs are an excellent way to make a great first impression, especially if you are a rookie or undrafted free agent. A solid few practices at OTAs or minicamp can help a player get into a coach’s good graces and get on the fan base’s radar.
Patriots undrafted free agent wide receiver Efton Chism III has been doing his part, going back to rookie minicamp in May, which has caught the attention of head coach Mike Vrabel, per Brian Hines of Pats Pulpit.
"I think he's a talented player. I think he has a certain skill set. He's dedicated, he's studied extremely hard. He has a good feel for what we're asking him to do. The biggest thing with receivers is that there’s trust from the guy who throws the football… It doesn’t take you long to figure out who the quarterback trusts."Mike Vrabel of Efton Chism III
Mike Vrabel on UDFA rookie WR Efton Chism:
— Brian Hines (@iambrianhines) June 10, 2025
“I think he's a talented player. I think he has a certain skill set. He's dedicated, he's studied extremely hard. He has a good feel for what we're asking him to do.
“The biggest thing with receivers is that there’s trust from the guy… pic.twitter.com/6FYnSf7fKN
If you’ve been following the reports coming out of New England, it perfectly aligns with what Vrabel said on Tuesday.
The former Eastern Washington standout has clearly made a name for himself already, and if he’s developing trust with the quarterback, whether that’s Drake Maye or Joshua Dobbs, that’s huge.
Most Patriots fans were likely expecting to hear that second-year wide receivers Ja’Lynn Polk and Javon Baker were the standout stars, but that moniker goes to Chism, who could’ve been taken in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Last season at Eastern Washington, Chism racked up 120 receptions for 1,311 yards and 13 touchdowns en route to being named to the All-Big Sky first team and an AP All-American first team in the FCS.
The 5-foot-11 wide receiver has good hands, which helps him make contested catches. He also possesses good agility and short-area quickness, and can be utilized in the return game, giving him another advantage towards making the 53-man roster.
We still have a long way to go until final cuts in late August, but Chism appears to have given himself a good chance to make the team.