Kyle Williams decision to play in the Holiday Bowl with Washington State football played a role in the Patriots decision to draft him
The New England Patriots entered the 2025 NFL draft knowing that they needed help at wide receiver. They waited until the third round to address this spot, but the guy they brought in with the No. 69 pick, Kyle Williams out of Washington State football, has been lauded as a superb selection. Looking back to his final game in college, it became clear that the Patriots admired one key trait they found in Williams.
While the Cougars played in the 2024 Holiday Bowl against the Syracuse Cougars, there was a serious question as to whether or not Williams would play. After all, he was preparing for the 2025 draft, and the team had just lost their head coach, Jake Dickert, and over 20 players to the transfer portal. Williams didn’t bat an eye, as there was never any doubt regarding whether or not he’d play.
“(Williams) had one game remaining in his college career, but with Washington State in the midst of a coaching transition and more than 20 teammates immediately entering the transfer portal, the question was: Would he play in the Holiday Bowl? To Williams, however, there wasn’t a decision to make — he was always playing,” Mike Reiss wrote for ESPN.
“Such a mentality appealed to the Patriots, who selected Williams in the third round of the NFL draft (No. 69 overall) and project him as a speedy, versatile complement to veteran free agent signees Stefon Diggs and Mack Hollins and top slot option DeMario “Pop” Douglas, among others.”
Patriots hoping Kyle Williams can make immediate impact in 2025
In his second season with Washington State, Williams put everything together at the perfect time. He caught 70 passes for 1,198 yards and 14 touchdowns, showing off his ability to make big plays all season long.
Williams can line up on the outside or in the slot, and beyond that, his love for the game of football and desire to be on the field as much as possible fits the culture that head coach Mike Vrabel is looking to build.
New England’s wide receiver room is crowded, but they currently lack top-end talent beyond Stefon Diggs, who is recovering from a torn ACL he suffered in Week 8 of the 2024 campaign. So if Williams can get on the same page as second-year quarterback Drake Maye immediately, he could make an impact in his first season in this league.
