Is former WSU star Kyle Williams the Patriots’ latest WR draft bust, or is he primed for a breakout?

There was hope when the New England Patriots selected Kyle Williams in the third round of the 2025 NFL draft that he’d be the wide receiver to snap the team’s draft struggles at that position.

With a new regime led by coach Mike Vrabel, the Pats hoped they had finally picked a wide receiver who would come in and make an immediate difference.

But even without a great group of receivers ahead of him, Williams’ rookie season was underwhelming. He caught just 10 passes. Of his 209 receiving yards, 72 came on one play.

It wasn’t all bad. Three of those 10 catches went for touchdowns, and his speed was obvious.

Now, Williams enters his second pro season hoping to improve on his rookie year. If he doesn’t, Williams could be cast aside before the 2027 season.

HistoryWilliams was a high school quarterback with aspirations of a Division I offer before switching to wide receiver as a senior. He spent his first three college seasons at UNLV before transferring to Washington State.

With the Cougars, Williams shone as a deep-threat receiver. New to the position, his route running wasn’t polished, and he dealt with too many drops (he has small hands). But he used his exceptional straight-line speed (he ran a 4.40-second 40-yard dash) to beat defenders. Williams was also excellent off the line of scrimmage and was able to get clean releases against top cornerbacks.

The Patriots used a third-round pick on Williams, but he struggled to make an impact last season. Williams played more than 25 % of the offensive snaps just once in the first eight games and had just two catches for 20 yards in his first nine games.

But in Week 10, Williams took his lone reception against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for a 72-yard touchdown on what was easily the biggest play of his rookie year.

Offseason recap

This season, the Patriots tasked Williams with adding muscle (he entered the NFL at 190 pounds). They also had him work on his hip flexibility in hopes that it would lead to better breaks at the top of his routes. He said he accomplished that and has put on between 5 and 8 pounds of muscle.

That helps set up an important training camp for Williams, partly because his spring practices were just okay. It wasn’t that Williams did anything wrong, but he didn’t stand out like a player primed for a breakout.

On the one hand, you could argue that’s only natural because of how the Patriots prioritized their spring. So much of it was focused on red zone work, and that’s not where Williams thrives. He’s a straight-line receiver, and coming down with jump balls in the end zone isn’t his strength.

On the other hand, you’d still like to see more from a third-round receiver whose chances to make an impact could diminish with the additions of A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs.

X-factorThe season-ending injury suffered by tight end Julian Hill is probably going to mean that the Patriots use more three-receiver formations, which opens up the door for increased playing time for one of the wideouts behind Brown and Doubs. With Hill healthy, the plan was to use more big formations. Without him, the Pats are likely to use more 11 personnel with one running back, one tight end and three receivers.

Even if this hasn’t been a perfect offseason for Williams, at least one wide receiver other than Doubs and Brown should gain playing time. And there’s no reason that can’t be Williams.

Reasons for optimismIn theory, Williams is just what this offense needs. He could allow Brown to dominate with his size and against man coverage, while helping the Pats use Doubs in the slot. Plus, he can take advantage of what quarterback Drake Maye does best, which is throw the deep ball.

The pieces of the Patriots offense will fit together best if Williams can take a step forward.

Reasons for concernWide receiver isn’t a position where rookies typically need time to develop. The good ones are usually good quickly. And it’s not good that Williams caught just 10 of 21 targets last season. That’s especially concerning since it’s not like last year’s group of receivers was so deep that it forced the Patriots to keep a third-round pick on the bench as often as they did with Williams.

Williams was the eighth wide receiver drafted in 2025, but he finished the season ranked 18th in receptions and 16th in receiving yards among rookies.

The other concern with Williams is that if Kayshon Boutte can put aside his contract concerns and step up, Boutte could be New England’s third receiver. That would mean a smaller role for Williams. (The Patriots don’t really use Williams on special teams, either).

Looking aheadThere are a few ways Williams can stand out. The most important would be by showing coaches he’s reliable as a deep threat. That was the idea when the Pats drafted him. But can he deliver?

Beyond that, it would behoove Williams to contribute on special teams. He was briefly used as a kick returner last season, and his speed in that spot is obvious. Perhaps he can win that role full-time.

Either way, this season will be telling for Williams. Either he takes a step forward and becomes the No. 3 receiver the Patriots badly need, or he’ll again be buried on the depth chart, looking like New England’s latest wide receiver draft pick who didn’t work out.