An FCS record-breaking receiver at Eastern Washington who went undrafted, made New England's roster, and became the team's kickoff returner as a rookie.
Efton Chism III broke Cooper Kupp's FCS records for single-season receptions and consecutive games with a catch during his final year at Eastern Washington. He went undrafted in 2025, signed with the New England Patriots, and earned a roster spot before settling into a special-teams role as a kickoff returner.
Path to the league
Chism, a Kirkland, Washington native, closed out his Eastern Washington career in 2024 by catching 120 passes, a total that led both the Big Sky Conference and the entire FCS and broke Cooper Kupp's single-season EWU reception record. He also extended his streak of games with a reception to 53 straight, another Kupp FCS record. Chism went undrafted in 2025 and signed with the New England Patriots.
Career highlights
Chism earned first-team All-American honors as a senior in 2024 and collected 10 total All-American honors along with four All-Big Sky selections across his college career, establishing himself as one of the most productive receivers in FCS history.
2025 season recap
Chism made New England's 53-man roster as an undrafted rookie and became the team's primary kickoff returner, finishing the regular season with three catches for 75 yards and a touchdown to go with 16 kickoff returns for 383 yards across eight games.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Efton Chism
- Patriots.com: Efton Chism III
Statistics
2025 season and career2025 Season · Receiving
8 games played▶Receiving · career
| Year | Team | GP | REC | YDS | AVG | TD | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | patriots | 7 | 15 | 151 | 10.1 | 1 | 23 |
| 2025 | patriots | 8 | 3 | 75 | 25.0 | 1 | 35 |
▶Rushing · career
| Year | Team | GP | CAR | YDS | AVG | TD | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | patriots | 7 | 1 | 2 | 2.0 | 0 | 2 |
Player Profile
Background
- Position
- Wide Receiver
- Group
- offense
- College
- Eastern Washington
- Hometown
- Monroe, WA, USA
- Age
- 25
- Status
- active
Latest news about Efton Chism III
All news →Patriots Edge Bills 29-26 in Week 4
New England Patriots 29, Buffalo Bills 26 at Highmark Stadium. Drake Maye went 22 of 37 for 269 yards with 3 touchdowns and 1 interception.
A.J. Brown's Patriots Debut Ends With Ankle Injury in Seattle
Update: New England placed Brown on injured reserve with a high ankle sprain, ruling him out at least four games and, per NFL Network, likely about six weeks. He had three catches for 26 yards before a defender's knee landed on his right ankle in the third quarter of the 13-10 loss.
