Undrafted rookie receiver Efton Chism III continued his strong push to make the New England Patriots on Saturday with another solid effort in the team's preseason win over the Minnesota Vikings. Chism shed tackles in bunches and found the end zone for a second straight week for the Patriots.

Chism had a number of big plays as he shred the Minnesota defense in the first half Saturday, finishing the half with a team-high six receptions for 71 yards and a touchdown. 

His 12-yard touchdown was a thing of beauty. Chism shed four tackles on his way to the end zone to give the Patriots a 14-0 lead. The Minnesota defense didn't have a chance against the 5-foor-10 Chism. 

"I always pride myself on not letting one guy tackle me. I just tried to get in there and go score," Chism said in the locker room after the win.

Chism was a monster on that touchdown drive, accounting for 62 of the team's 88 yards on four catches. His first reception on the drive went for 11 yards on a third-and-3, and he followed it up with a 33-yard catch to set the team up at the Minnesota 25. He also had a seven-yard reception when New England was facing a third-and-5.

He was a reliable option for Dobbs on Saturday, and Chism has brought the same fire and playmaking to practice in training camp,. He may have secured his spot on New England's 53-man roster with that second-quarter touchdown, but that doesn't mean he's going to let up going forward.

That's not what Efton Chism is about. He's going to keep giving it his all and then some.

"There is always more to give out there no matter what is going on, even if it's not football. There is always something more, so I take that to football. If I can make one guy miss, keep giving more effort, more finish, more whatever it is, it just carries on," he said.

Chism didn't take the field in the second half, an indication the Patriots' coaching staff had seen enough from the undrafted talent on Saturday. The fact Chism also plays -- and contributes -- on special teams only strengthens his case to make the New England roster.

"It doesn't matter how you get here, all that matters is what you do when you're here," head coach Mike Vrabel said after New England's 20-12 win. "Chism, when given opportunities, has taken advantage of them."

"He just keeps on showing up," Maye said of Chism. "He wants it."  

"He's special to watch," added running back TreVeyon Henderson. "He comes in every practice, works as hard as he can and works his tail off. I'm excited to see him have a lot of success. I look forward to this season, he's going to be a special player."

Over his first six quarters of preseason action, Chism recorded 12 receptions for 121 yards and two touchdowns. He has the attention of David Andrews, who became New England's starting center and won a pair of Super Bowls with the team after he signed as an undrafted free agent.

Who is Efton Chism? 

The Patriots signed Chism out of Eastern Washington, where he set a school record with 120 receptions in 2024. Those receptions went for 1,311 yards and 13 touchdowns, as Chism earned All-Big Sky First Team honors.

A native of Kirkland, Washington, Chism finished his college career with 346 receptions for 3,852 yards and 37 touchdowns for the Eagles.

Now he's getting his chance in the NFL. He's not taking this opportunity for granted.

"It's definitely surreal and I'm blessed that I get to come to the office and this is my job," he said. "It's also one of those things where I felt this is where I wanted to be, where I'm supposed to be. I'm just always grateful and thankful every day."