New England Patriots - NESN.com
Fans may hope Efton Chism III is the next Julian Edelman, but the New England Patriots icon had another comparison in mind.
Tom E. Curran asked Edelman who Chism reminds him of during a recent episode of NBC Sports Boston’s “Patriots Talk Podcast.” Rather than himself, Edelman picked former Pats teammate Danny Amendola.
“I think he reminds me more of Dola than he does me,” Edelman said. “The way he runs is a little like that.”
Edelman has liked what he’s witnessed from Chism, who is making a compelling case for a roster spot by registering 12 catches for 121 yards and two touchdowns in two preseason games.
“His playing strength is really impressive that I’ve seen over the last few weeks,” Edelman added. “He’s had a hell of a camp. It’s going to be an interesting decision on what to do with these guys in that receiver room.”
While Edelman also took an unlikely path to NFL success as a seventh-round pick, Chism went undrafted like Amendola. The rookie from Eastern Washington would probably love to have a comparable career to Amendola, who won two Super Bowls with the Patriots and tallied 6,212 receiving yards over 13 seasons.
Those similarities Edelman has observed may not be a mere coincidence, as Chism said earlier in training camp that he’s studied game film of Amendola.
At 5-foot-10 and 198 pounds, Chism is sized comparably to Amendola and Edelman. The 23-year-old could attempt to follow in their footsteps as another impact New England slot receiver if he makes the team.
