BOSTON, Mass. — New England Patriots rookie Kyle Williams has made no secret of his admiration for the team’s successful history.
With the Pats having won six Super Bowls, nine conference championships and 17 AFC East titles since 2000, Williams appears eager to write his own chapter within the organization’s storied lore.
Accordingly, it should come as no surprise that the Pats’ third-round selection in April’s draft was intrigued by the visit he and his fellow rookies paid to another of the regions legendary pro franchises, the 18-time NBA champion Boston Celtics.
“It was a great experience,” Williams said Thursday while participating in Rookie Community Day in Boston. “To have two professional teams with a history of winning.. to be able to share tactics and experiences on how to continue to win.. it was just a blessing.”
Of course, Williams could not resist the chance to make a light-hearted homage to the footwear worn by his “green-team” counterparts.
“I was just going out there for a 10-day contract,” Williams joked. “I tried to get some shoes … But they only started with size 13.5, which goes to show you just how big those NBA players truly are.”
Since being drafted at number 69 overall, Williams is seemingly making himself quite at home in the region. His self-professed “electric” style of play is expected to add a dimension to the Patriots passing game which has been seldom seen in recent years. In theory, he should provide Josh McDaniels’ offense with a big-play threat who is capable of stretching the field.
Having split his collegiate career between Nevada and Washington State, the Baltimore, Maryland native played in 50 career games — 25 for the University of Nevada from 2020-22 and 25 for Washington State from 2023-24. During that span, he amassed 248 receptions for 3,608 yards and 29 touchdowns. He added 17 rushing attempts for 87 yards. In 2024, Williams started all 13 games and led team with 70 catches for 1,198 yards and 14 touchdowns.
Still, Williams stats demonstrate only a portion of his potential. Perhaps best known for his speed and ability to separate from his defender, the 22-year-old is also an adept route-runner. He also possesses the skill to start-and-stop at the beginning of his stride to make defensive backs and coverage linebackers miss in all areas of the field.
At his best, Williams is quite capable of turning a short-spaced route into a high-yardage touchdown. In fact, the former Buckeye ended his first day of practice as a Patriot with an impressive catch down the sideline, which is certain to excite the masses within Patriots Nation.
Williams is expected to compete with receivers Stefon Diggs, DeMario Douglas, Ja’Lynn Polk, Kayshon Boutte, Kendrick Bourne, Javon Baker, Efton Chism, III and Mack Hollins on the Patriots’ positional depth chart when the team reconvenes for training camp on July 23.
