On Friday night, the Patriots selected Washington State wide receiver Kyle Williams with the 69th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
New England addresses a massive need at wide receiver at the top of the third round, as the team looks to continue rebuilding a wide receiver room that struggled to get separation throughout the 2024 season.
At 5-foot-11 and 190 pounds, Williams was known as a big-play generator for the Cougars as well as someone with short-area quickness getting open underneath the defense. While he struggled at times catching the ball due to smaller hands (8 ¾ inches), his big-play-potential gives Drake Maye the type of weapon that complements players like Stefon Diggs and Kayshon Boutte nicely.
Running a 4.40 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine in March, Williams will join DeMario Douglas as one of the fastest players on the roster the minute he arrives in New England.
Williams was the Patriots' third straight offensive pick to open the 2025 draft, joining offensive tackle Will Campbell (first round, No. 4 overall) and running back TreVeyon Henderson (second round, No. 38 overall).
At the time of publishing, the Patriots are slated to be on the clock one more time on Friday, as they’re slotted to pick again at No. 77 overall.
The Patriots’ second pick in the third round comes via their trade with Atlanta last summer, which sent Pro Bowl defensive end Matthew Judon to the Falcons ahead of the 2024 regular season.
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