You very likely have never heard of Efton Chism III.
That’s OK. The New England Patriots plan to change that.
The Pats signed Chism as an undrafted free agent soon after the conclusion of the 2025 NFL Draft, and now he’s trying to become New England’s latest unheralded gem.
Chism is a 5-foot-10, 193-pound receiver out of Eastern Washington. He broke Cooper Kupp’s FCS record by catching a pass in 53 consecutive games.
In his EWU career, Chism had 346 catches for 3,852 yards and 37 TDs, usually operating out of the slot.
Chism signed one of the league’s biggest undrafted deals, a three-year contract with $234,000 in guaranteed base salary along with a $25,000 signing bonus, according to ESPN.
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ESPN reports that the money was so high because the Broncos also were in a heated race to sign Chism.
“Efton is not the biggest,” EWU coach Aaron Best told ESPN. He’s not the fastest. He’s not the strongest. But I will say he’s most committed — his Valentine is bigger than most people. His care of his teammates is bigger than most people. When you have a chip on your shoulder, that’s real and you carry it for life. That’s what he did in high school to get to college. He wasn’t a highly recruited kid out of high school. No FBS offers, much like Coop. It didn’t define him. It determined him. He just needed a chance. He got it here at a school he loved and he thrived in every aspect.”
Chism has to make his way into a crowded receiving corps, but he’s got the skills to do it.
The Pats may have just found another diamond in the rough.
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