New Patriots Wide Receiver Made This ‘Mistake’ With Mike Vrabel

A few of the Patriots’ newest players need to do some homework on their new head coach.

Bradyn Swinson, a linebacker selected in the fifth round by New England on Saturday, admitted he had no idea he plays the same position where Mike Vrabel excelled across 14 NFL seasons. Kyle Williams, a wide receiver picked in the third round by the Patriots, similarly wasn’t totally aware of how Vrabel became a household name at football’s highest level.

“I had mistaken him for an O-lineman, but he was a linebacker,” Williams told reporters Friday, per a team-provided transcript. “In my opinion, he could have went to the NBA, but a dude that — he loves the game. You can hear it in his voice, the passion that he comes with, you know he is a man of standards. He wants to work, and that’s what I can come in and help bring to the organization.”

While Williams should watch some tape on Vrabel, the far more important assignment for the Washington State product will be learning New England’s offensive playbook. Those remarks indicate Williams won’t waste any time studying and trying to become a valuable asset to quarterback Drake Maye.