Having the right mindset is an essential factor for any rookie coming into the NFL, and that of Patriots' wide receiver Kyle Williams is one that New England fans should be optimistic about.
Williams' mindset is a simple one: Don't Drop The Money, according to WEEI's Meghan Ottolini. Of course, the "money" is the football in this case, and Williams believes that he can never let it touch the ground.
That's a mindset at the wide receiver position the Patriots haven't had in quite some time, and it's a refreshing one. It's also good news for a rebuilt Patriots' wide receiver room headlined by the drafting of Williams and the arrival of Stefon Diggs in free agency.
Kyle Williams' attitude is one that should reflect on his teammates
The Patriots are in desperate need of a 1,000-yard receiver, something they haven't had since Julian Edelman accomplished that in 2019. Hunter Henry led the team with 674 yards receiving last season, and the Patriots' top wideout in terms of yards was DeMario Douglas with 621.
In today's NFL, which features a lot of wide-open passing, that's not good enough to win. The Patriots need to be better at that position.
As a rookie, Williams needs to earn his snaps on the field, but his attitude is showing he's well on his way. Eliot Wolf needed to find a wide receiver in the draft, and he may have found one in Williams. It doesn't hurt to practice against talented cornerbacks in Christian Gonzalez and Carlton Davis III, a tactic that should fine-tune Williams' route-running.
It remains to be seen what Williams does once the real games begin and once training camp opens on July 19. The Patriots' track record of drafting wide receivers has not been spectacular lately, and New England hopes it has finally hit a home run in Williams.
Mike Vrabel is a head coach who demands a good attitude and work ethic, and Williams appears to have won over his head coach in that regard before he's played an NFL down.