Three Patriots Named as Hidden Gems for This Season
Three Patriots Named as Hidden Gems for This Season originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The New England Patriots are a young team with tons of potential. There are the young stars who are destined to shine, like Drake Maye and Christian Gonzalez, but every young team has some players who are just waiting for their chance to get some of the limelight as well. The Patriots have seen this all too many times, as evidenced by undrafted wide receiver Jakobi Meyers making the team in 2019 or Josh Uche's jump from three sacks to 11.5.
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There are destined to be some sleepers, and Cameron Zunkel of ClutchPoints gave his top three for the Patriots this season. There is a lot of potential and young talent to choose from on this new era Patriots team, and the first name that was brought up is one of the Patriots' newest weapons.
Third-round wide receiver Kyle Williams from Washington State was the first name listed. Williams was fourth in the nation in touchdowns with 14, but was overshadowed by big-name players like Travis Hunter and Tetairoa McMillan. Williams started his career at UNLV and then transferred to play his last two seasons at Washington State.
In his senior season, he had 70 catches for 1,198 yards and 14 touchdowns. He is everything the Patriots offense lacks. He has speed, he can make big plays down the field, and he is great off the line of scrimmage. Stefon Diggs was the big-name free agent, and Patriots fans are excited to see how Demario Douglas progresses, but don't be surprised if Williams ends up top three in receiving yards for the Patriots this season.
The next player listed was fourth-year cornerback Marcus Jones. Jones is a special Swiss army knife type of player who has made plays for the Patriots in all three phases of the ball. Jones has been an All-Pro returner, and he gets talked about for his versatility, but he has yet to receive the recognition he deserves at his true position, cornerback.
New England Patriots cornerback Marcus Jones (25) tackles Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Greg Dortch (4) at State Farm Stadium.Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
It gets overshadowed by all of his talent, but Jones was a really solid corner for New England last year. He played in 14 games, nine of which he started, and recorded 58 tackles, one tackle for loss, 10 pass deflections, one interception, two forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries.
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He played great in his role, and it looks like he is going to get a bigger one this upcoming season. It seems that the starting nickel cornerback job may end up being his, and if it is, he is going to show that he is not only a great returner but a great cornerback.
Lastly, linebacker Christian Elliss was named as a potential hidden gem. Elliss started as a member of the Philadelphia Eagles in 2021 and played almost three seasons there before getting released and signed by the Patriots, where he has played 20 games. Elliss started in five of the 16 games he played, and he recorded 80 tackles, one tackle for loss, one and a half sacks, one interception, five pass deflections, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery.
Elliss was another player that excelled and their role, and he is another player that could see an increase in snaps and starts. He is expected to be a starter this season, and with Jahlani Tavai already going down early in OTAs, his reps and opportunity should only increase.
A lot of people are excited to see how players like Milton Williams and Will Campbell look in their new threads, but there will be a few new household names in Patriots fans' houses. There are a lot of unproven guys, but there is also a lot of potential, and new head coach Mike Vrabel is looking to squeeze out every bit he can get.
Related: Patriots To Keep $69 Million Free-Agent Receiver Amid Rumors
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 4, 2025, where it first appeared.
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