It's been a long time since the Patriots had a receiving corps that drew as much excitement as the current group, especially with the addition of A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs.
Although Stefon Diggs brought much of that optimism back last year, fans have longed for Brown to be on the team since Bill Belichick historically passed on him during the 2019 draft in favor of N'Keal Harry, who we all know went on to be the latest draft bust of the coach's career.
So much of the conversation around who Drake Maye will be throwing to this season starts and almost ends with Brown.
But there is a lot to like about the depth that the team has at the position, even at the bottom of the depth chart with Efton Chism III, a 2025 undrafted free agent who surprisingly made last season's roster and finds himself there again this year.
He might not play a massive role as a receiver on game day, but he's expected to play a big part on special teams as a returner and to continue to play opponents' receivers at practice.
That's what he's done leading up to the rematch with the Seahawks, doing his best to mimic Jaxon Smith-Njigba to help the Patriots' cornerbacks prepare for the Offensive Player of the Year.
Footage from practice with Chism doing just that was posted on social media this past week, and it immediately got Patriots fans seeing a freakishly similar performance to franchise great Julian Edelman, which has been making the rounds on Twitter/X in the days since.
Efton Chism is showing flashes of Julian Edelman on the Patriots practice field ahead of Week 1
Since he joined the Patriots last offseason, Chism has consistently heard comparisons to Edelman and other smaller slot receivers across the league. So it's not exactly surprising that New England fans are keeping that talking point going.
And while that might seem weird to some, it's hard not to see the similarities when watching Chism practice this past week, prompting many to share the videos with that same sentiment, hoping they're not being dramatic.
You guys see it too right? pic.twitter.com/wc1W35KOyC
— Drake Maye Lover (@drakemayeloverr) September 3, 2026
Maybe it is because he's wearing the same number Edelman wore throughout his career, or maybe it's just that Chism's moves are eerily similar to the Patriots' legend.
No matter what, fans are seeing it and getting more excited about what Chism can do for the team this season. Whether that's as a sneaky slot receiver or on special teams, something Edelman did at the start of his career.
If given more opportunities to work with Drake Maye, Chism could follow a path similar to Edelman's. That doesn't mean he will have the same career, considering Edelman is an all-time great.
But it could mean that Chism will be a much better player than anyone wanted to give him credit for, especially as an undrafted player. In New England, however, that's almost a rite of passage, with Tom Brady demolishing expectations as a sixth-round pick and Edelman doing the same as a seventh-rounder.
Chism can use that to his advantage as added motivation, and we could see massive improvement from him this year because of it.
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