In a crowded Patriots wide receiver room, does undrafted free agent Efton Chism have a realistic shot to make the team?

Boston Globe

19-06-2025

During spring workouts, Chism flashed a aggressiveness in drills in attacking the football, was able to get separation on a consistent basis, and didn't look overwhelmed during 11-on-11 work, earning reps with the No. 1 offense.
Add in what appears to be dependable hands, some excellent shiftiness, and special teams value (he saw action as a returner), and it's easy to see why the Patriots made him one of their highest-paid UDFAs.
'I just think coming with the mind-set of, 'Nothing's guaranteed. Nobody owes me anything,' ' Chism said. 'I'm trying to take advantage of every opportunity I get. If that's a scout-team rep or if that's a special-teams rep, whatever it is. And building the QB's trust where they want to throw me the ball.'
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One of the things that impressed coach Mike Vrabel was Chism's early commitment to building trust with Maye and the rest of the quarterbacks. That was evident in one OTA session in which Chism caught all seven passes thrown in his direction.
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'I think he's a talented player,' Vrabel said. 'He's dedicated. He's studied extremely hard. He has a good feel for what we're asking him to do.
'I think the biggest thing for receivers is that there's trust from the guy that throws the football. When you earn the quarterback's trust — any one of them that we have, any one of the three — it doesn't take you long to figure out who the quarterback trusts. It's the ones they target. That's a good indicator.'
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Chism finished with 346 catches for 3,852 yards and 37 touchdowns in five years at Eastern Washington. He was an an AP All-American and Big Sky first-teamer as a senior.
Eastern Washington coach Aaron Best said Chism is one of those prospects you need to watch on a daily basis to truly appreciate, pointing to his dependability.
'He's as consistent as he can be. You know exactly what you're going to get,' Best said. 'He's down to earth, humble, and very self-aware. He's confident, not cocky, and has an ego but isn't arrogant. He knows he's talented but also knows he needs to work hard to make the most of his talents.'
Eastern Washington coach Aaron Best said "I'll put my money on Efton" Chism making it in the NFL.
Josh Geci
Given his résumé and FCS background, it's easy to draw comparison between Chism and Cooper Kupp, another former Eastern Washington standout. Chism broke several school records held by Kupp, including receptions in a season (120).
While being cautious in his comparison — Kupp is a Super Bowl MVP and has 891 catches in the NFL — Best acknowledged the similarities.
'Efton is going to run the route he needs to run at the speed he's going to run at every time. I compared him to Cooper in that style, very much the same way,' Best said. 'You kind of marvel at the fact that they took every rep like they were in a game. They studied everybody else but themselves. They didn't watch their one-on-ones. To pick up little tips and nuances, they went through 100 reps of someone else, trying to learn things. That's what the greatest do.
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'But really, they have very similar traits. They're both humble and appreciative of the opportunity. Coop came back for his last year, and Efton stayed here and probably decided to forgo some NIL money elsewhere. They were both very loyal to their peers.'
Efton Chism, with family and friends on senior day, finished with 346 catches for 3,852 yards and 37 touchdowns in five years at Eastern Washington.
Braeden Harlow
All this begs the question: Why was Chism available as an undrafted free agent? He's considered slightly undersized, and he doesn't have the physical tools other receivers possess. To that point, Best suggested Chism's biggest challenge in the NFL, might come in facing man coverage.
'He didn't get pressed much in the slot,' Best said. 'There's just not a ton of that in college in the Big Sky Conference. He would be playing against a nickel corner in the slot. How consistently can he get open in the slot position with a guy in his face … that may be a different animal at the NFL level, with teams playing press like they do.
'But I'll put money on Efton.'
Chism still faces plenty of obstacles on the road to a spot on the 53-man roster, but he's going to lean on the sort of motivational techniques that have already defined his football journey.
'I think there's a bunch of little things — taken from an FCS school, not getting drafted — I'm always going to bring up myself for motivation,' he said. 'But at the end of the day, it's just opportunity. And Coach Vrabel said, 'Don't care how you got here. It's opportunity now.' So I'm excited.'
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Christopher Price can be reached at