| No. 1 – New England Patriots | |
|---|---|
| Position | Wide receiver |
| Roster status | Active |
| Personal information | |
| Born | October 26, 2001 Kirkland, Washington, U.S. |
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) |
| Weight | 198 lb (90 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Monroe (Monroe, Washington) |
| College | Eastern Washington (2020–2024) |
| NFL draft | 2025: undrafted |
| Career history | |
| |
| Awards and highlights | |
| |
| Stats at Pro Football Reference | |
Efton Chism III ( CHIH-zum ; born October 26, 2001) is an American professional football wide receiver for the New England Patriots of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Eastern Washington Eagles.
Chism attended Monroe High School in Monroe, Washington, and committed to play college football for the Eastern Washington Eagles. [1]
In his first two collegiate season in 2020 and 2021, Chism made 87 catches for 1,075 yards and 12 touchdowns in 21 games for the Eagles. [2] In 2022, he made ten starts and notched 62 catches for 607 yards and six touchdowns. [3] In 2023, Chism hauled in 84 passes for 932 yards and eight touchdowns, [4] earning FCS third-team all-American honors. [5] In the 2024 season opener, he tallied 12 receptions for 173 yards and three touchdowns in a win over Monmouth. [6] In week 12, Chism hauled in 12 receptions for 157 yards and a touchdown in a win over Idaho State. [7] In the 2024 regular season finale, he set the program single-season receptions record on a 67-yard touchdown reception, which had been held by Cooper Kupp. [8] Chism finished the 2024 season with 120 receptions for 1,311 yards and 13 touchdowns, earning FCS first-team All-American honors. [9] After the season, he declared for the 2025 NFL draft and accepted invitations to participate in the 2025 Hula Bowl and the 2025 East-West Shrine Bowl. [10]
| Season | Team | GP | Receiving | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rec | R/G | Yds | Y/G | Avg | Lng | TD | |||
| 2020 | Eastern Washington | 7 | 23 | 3.3 | 267 | 38.1 | 11.6 | 26 | 1 |
| 2021 | Eastern Washington | 13 | 57 | 4.4 | 735 | 56.5 | 12.9 | 36 | 9 |
| 2022 | Eastern Washington | 10 | 62 | 6.2 | 607 | 60.7 | 9.8 | 50 | 6 |
| 2023 | Eastern Washington | 11 | 84 | 7.6 | 932 | 84.7 | 11.1 | 46 | 8 |
| 2024 | Eastern Washington | 12 | 120 | 10.0 | 1,311 | 109.3 | 10.9 | 67 | 13 |
| Total [11] | 53 | 346 | 6.5 | 3,852 | 72.7 | 11.1 | 67 | 37 | |
| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20-yard shuttle | Three-cone drill | Vertical jump | Broad jump | Bench press | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 ft 10+1⁄2 in (1.79 m) | 193 lb (88 kg) | 30+1⁄2 in (0.77 m) | 9 in (0.23 m) | 4.71 s | 1.62 s | 2.72 s | 4.06 s | 6.77 s | 34.5 in (0.88 m) | 9 ft 10 in (3.00 m) | 16 reps | |
| All values from Pro Day [12] [13] | ||||||||||||
In the months leading up to the 2025 NFL draft, Chism had visits with six teams. On May 9, 2025, Chism signed with the New England Patriots as an undrafted free agent after going unselected in the 2025 NFL draft, [14] citing a recruitment call from head coach Mike Vrabel and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels' work with "undersized receivers" among the factors in his decision. Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton also pursued Chism in the UDFA process. [15]
The Patriots gave Chism a $25,000 signing bonus and an additional $234,000 in guaranteed salary; his $259,000 in guarantees is more than any of the Patriots' seventh-round draft picks received. [15]
Chism is the nephew of former FCS All-American linebacker Derek Strey. [16]