GREEN BAY, Wisc. (April 25, 2025) – Washington State wide receiver Kyle Williams was selected by the New England Patriots in the third round of the 2025 National Football League Draft, Friday.
 
Williams, taken as the fifth pick in the round and No. 69 overall, is the first Cougar wide receiver drafted since Dezmon Patmon went in the sixth round to the Indianapolis Colts in the 2020 draft and is the highest drafted wide receiver since Jason Hill went in the third round to San Francisco in 2007. Williams is the first Cougar drafted by the Patriots since Drew Bledsoe went first overall in the 1993 NFL Draft.
 
Williams played the last two seasons in Pullman after playing his first three seasons at UNLV (2020-22). The Inglewood, Calif. finished his career with 248 receptions for 3,609 yards, 29 touchdowns, seven 100-games and caught a pass in all 50 career games played.
 
At Washington State, Williams had 131 catches for 2,041 yards and 20 touchdowns along with seven 100-yard games with the 20 touchdown catches tied for sixth-most in WSU history and the seven 100-yard games were tied for tenth-most in program history.
 
In 2023 as a junior, Williams caught 61 passes for 843 yards and six touchdowns before catching 70 passes for 1,198 yards and 14 touchdowns with five 100-yard games last season. The 14 touchdown catches last season were second-most in WSU history while the 1,198 receiving yards were fourth-most in WSU single-season history and the five 100-yard games tied for the tenth-most in WSU single-season history. Williams became the first Cougar in program history with back-to-back games catching three touchdown passes (Utah State, at New Mexico) and closed his career with a Holiday Bowl-record 172 receiving yards after catching 10 passes, including a 66-yard touchdown against No. 21 Syracuse.