Kyle Williams | Washington State 5’ 11”/190 lbs. November 13, 2002 (Age 22)
Kyle Williams was drafted by the New England Patriots, becoming the 9th wide receiver and 69th overall player in the 2025 NFL Draft.
COLLEGE PRODUCTION
| Year | Games Played | Receptions | Receiving Yards | Yards/Catch | TD’s |
| 2020 (UNLV) | 6 | 35 | 426 | 12.17 | 2 |
| 2021 (UNLV) | 10 | 42 | 601 | 14.31 | 2 |
| 2022 (UNLV) | 9 | 40 | 541 | 13.53 | 5 |
| 2023 (WSU) | 12 | 61 | 843 | 13.82 | 6 |
| 2024 (WSU) | 13 | 70 | 1,198 | 17.11 | 14 |
*Statistics Pulled from Sports Reference
Williams spent the first three seasons of his collegiate career at UNLV before transferring to Washington State where he enjoyed his best season in 2024. He led the Cougars with 70 catches for 1,198 yards and 14 touchdowns and had five 100-yard games. This past season Williams received many accolades for his impressive season as he was named to the Biletnikoff Award watch list and the Reese’s Senior Bowl Watch list.
FILM
STRENGTHS
Most impressive about Williams is his versatility as a receiver and how he can separate deep by creating big plays vertically which comes easily. He’s great at eliminating pursuit angles as a catch-and-run artist and then he gets respectful cushions that allow his quarterback to make easy comeback throws. Williams is good at being able to get past press coverage with his feet and smooth acceleration. He also has outstanding deep-ball tracking ability and makes body adjustments quickly to gain catch positioning. Williams is capable of opening easy throwing windows when working on mid-level routes. However, what’s most noticeable about his game is his dynamic ability with the ball as he excels by creating chunk plays out of short throws.
WEAKNESSES
The first noticeable red flag about Williams is that he spent five seasons in college with only elite-level production in his last season. Also, he cannot be tabbed as a “sure-handed” wide receiver and needs to improve his drops as he possesses below-average catch technique and hand-eye coordination. His lack of route-running fundamentals limits his tree but with further development, he can improve upon this as his routes feature excessive vertical drift out of his breaks. Additionally, for a receiver, he’s not a physical specimen and lacks the frame and strength for contested catches against opposing defenses.
ATHLETIC TESTING
At the combine, Williams measured 5’11” and 190 lbs. His arms were measured at 30 ⅛” with a hand size of 8 ¾. He checked in with an impressive 4.40 40-yard dash time, 1.55 10-yard split, 36.5” vertical jump, and a 9’11” broad jump. He finished with an NFL NextGen Stats composite score of 76, ranking him 12th amongst wide receivers in the class and projecting him to be an above-average backup. Williams’s strengths are his alignment versatility and home run potential which showcase his abilities to be a dynamic playmaker. He has all the raw athletic tools to succeed at the next level with further development and the right NFL fit, he could become an excellent player.
DRAFT ANALYSIS
Rapid Reaction to Draft Capital: Above-Average
Rapid Reaction to Landing Spot: Above-Average
Williams was selected with the 69th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots.
FANTASY INSIGHTS
I have Williams ranked as the seventh wide receiver in this year’s receiver class for projected future Dynasty value, but he also has sleeper potential with much more upside. He’s been an underrated prospect but had started generating a lot more buzz around the combine for his performance there along with his final collegiate season.
Expect Williams to be selected in the late second or early third round of Dynasty Fantasy Football rookie drafts. His immediate and future upside is very enticing. Besides Stefon Diggs, the Patriots do not have a proven wide receiver so if Williams can prove he belongs he can quickly beat out Demario Douglass, Ja’Lynn Polk, and Kayshon Boutte as his main competition and ascend to the Patriots’ number two receiving option. Diggs’ contract is also structured so that the Patriots can get out of it after only one season. If this is the case Williams could have a very bright future with the Patriots along with being paired with former third-overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft quarterback Drake Maye. If Williams can develop and reach his ceiling he can be a part of one of the NFL’s better young quarterback and wide receiver duos. Overall, this is an above-average landing spot for him long term with the potential for more.
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