The Patriots left Week 5 with a 45-17 rout of the Las Vegas Raiders, a move back to 3-2 after what had been a brutal first five-game stretch. Drake Maye was the headliner, throwing four touchdown passes and adding another score on the ground.
But buried in the larger offensive showcase was another encouraging sign for New England: Efton Chism III is starting to look like a real find.
Brian Hines of Pats Pulpit recently posted a ranking of the top-graded receivers from the 2025 draft class, including undrafted free agents, through 2026. Chism sat at No. 1 with an 81.4 grade, narrowly ahead of first-rounder Tetairoa McMillan. He was also the only undrafted receiver on the list.
That’s not a small detail for a Patriots team that has made a habit of finding value where other teams don’t. Chism signed a three-year UDFA deal in 2025 that included a $25,000 bonus and $259,000 in guaranteed money. At this point, that looks like money well spent.
New England’s personnel department has taken plenty of criticism, especially before Mike Vrabel arrived last season, but the organization’s record with undrafted players has been strong for years. Malcolm Butler, David Andrews, Jakobi Meyers, Stephen Neal, Brenden Schooler and Adam Vinatieri all came into the league outside the draft and ended up making major contributions, with Butler helping win a Super Bowl and Vinatieri eventually becoming a Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee.
Chism is now pushing his way onto that same kind of list.
He barely saw the field in 2025, drawing just three targets all season. He caught every one of them, including a touchdown, but the sample size was tiny.
This year, injuries to A.J. Brown and Mack Hollins opened the door, and Chism has taken advantage.
In four games, he has nine catches on 13 targets with a touchdown, and he’s clearly earning Drake Maye’s trust.
Against the Raiders, he turned in his best performance yet: five catches on six targets for 57 yards, good for an 11.4-yard average. Even more telling, seven of his nine receptions this season have gone for first downs.
For a player who arrived as an undrafted afterthought, that’s a strong argument for a larger role. The Patriots may have another slot weapon on their hands, and they’d be wise not to waste the opportunity.
In Other News...
Patriots May Have An O-Line Decision They Didn't Expect
The Patriots went into the 2026 draft thinking Caleb Lomu could develop as a swing tackle and maybe eventually factor into the lane behind Morgan Moses. Instead, the Utah left tackle has been thrown into the mix much sooner than expected, with Will Campbell sidelined and Boston already getting a look at how Lomu handles the blind side against real NFL pressure.
Campbell had been playing well before the injury, so the next stretch could say a lot about how New England views its long-term left tackle picture. Lomus strong showing in Campbells place has already created the possibility of a real competition once Campbell is back, and the Patriots now have a decision they probably did not plan to be making this early. [Read more 🡒]
Travis Kelce Still Sets The Standard For How Chiefs Create Offense
Efton Chisms trick play against the Raiders was one of those small moments that can ripple beyond a single game. The Patriots receiver pulled it off in a way that clearly caught the eye of Travis Kelce, and Mike Vrabel also had reason to appreciate it, since the kind of creativity Chism showed fits the kind of offensive imagination teams are always chasing. On New Heights, Kelce and Jason Kelce broke down the play, turning a Patriots highlight into a lesson in how savvy, well-timed deception can still matter in todays game.
What makes Kelces reaction noteworthy is that it goes beyond simple praise. Patrick Mahomes has said Kelce helped teach him how to build trust with teammates, which is part of why his influence carries so much weight whenever he talks about offense. For a young receiver like Chism, hearing that kind of feedback from a player who has helped define how the Chiefs create offense adds another layer to an already memorable moment, even if the larger conversation around the play still leaves room for more. [Read more 🡒]
Patriots Suddenly Have A Backfield Question They Can't Ignore
TreVeyon Hendersons injury has left the Patriots looking at a running back room that suddenly feels thinner than it did a week ago. New England has already started weighing the market, and the search is clearly not just about finding another body for the rotation. The team wants someone who can help stabilize the position while Henderson works his way back.
One name that has surfaced is Tony Pollard, a veteran with a track record that makes him an appealing fit if Tennessee decides to listen. The Titans are not expected to ask for a premium return, either, which is part of what makes this worth watching for New England. If the Patriots do decide to act, the cost may be low enough to keep this from turning into a prolonged waiting game. [Read more 🡒]