Since the start of training camp last month, Patriots rookies have been stealing the show with their effort and performances during practice. One player in particular has maintained the spotlight for good reason, as he looks like a secret weapon that Drake Maye could use to boost his second-year season even further.
Wide receiver Efton Chism made a name for himself this spring with his standout showing during OTAs and minicamp. The expectation was that it would continue into the summer when the team returned to Foxboro, but that hasn't exactly been the case so far.
He has a lot of competition at the position, with ten other receivers currently under contract and presumably only three players who have locked up a spot already. That leaves up to four more openings for Chism to steal, but he hasn't managed to replicate his impressive performances from earlier this year.
In fact, he received a lot of negative attention for his play in the Patriots' first mock game last week, which has prompted a lot of skepticism about his viability to make the final roster.
Efton Chism III is already showing some rookie setbacks as Patriots training camp heats up
The Patriots had a mock game set up for season ticket holders inside Gillette Stadium last Friday evening, and it was the first time we got to see what the team could do in a game-like environment.
It garnered a lot of attention, with many players looking to be on the rise, while others, like Chism, didn't receive the most glowing of reviews due to dropped passes and a lack of chemistry with Maye.
Rough looking offensive series so far for Drake Maye. Also - Not what you like to see from Efton Chism. #NEPats pic.twitter.com/QM33zb3nWt
— Pats-Planet.com 🪐 (@patsplanetmedia) August 1, 2025
Despite seemingly locking up a spot on the roster just a couple of months ago, Chism has fallen off the radar a bit as his teammates, like Kayshon Boutte and DeMario Douglas, have risen to the occasion and proven to be exactly who the Patriots want in their wide receivers.
That only makes Chism's climb to the 53-man roster that much more difficult, on top of already being overlooked because he went undrafted. That's not something the Patriots are known for caring about, as they have made plenty of UDFAs into stars over the years.
But Chism will need to prove his worth beyond any doubt throughout the rest of the month or risk watching from the outside. It would be a bold move for the Patriots, too, considering the amount of attention the receiver has garnered for his spring showing, as even a CFL team expressed their interest in making him part of their roster.
So that proves his value is apparent to others around the league and beyond, and the Patriots have had a firsthand look at his potential. We now need to see more of that consistently to justify keeping him on the roster over a seasoned veteran, and hopefully, he'll get back to that kind of production during practice soon.