As new head coach Mike Vrabel continues to prepare the New England Patriots to become his team, minicamp has now come and gone. Many young players were on display, including hopeful franchise quarterback Drake Maye and offensive tackle Will Campbell Jr. The latter was Vrabel's first ever draft pick as the Patriots head coach. He also turned heads based on his solid display in minicamp.

However, it is another rookie that was the biggest standout from minicamp. In an era where many players are looking to prove their worth to Vrabel and his staff, it was third-round pick Kyle Williams who burned the brightest. The wide receiver is looking to stake his claim in the New England lineup. The most effective way to do that is to build a rapport with Maye.

Vrabel and Wolf have made it their mission to make it as easy it can be for Maye to succeed. They took Campbell, running back TreVeyon Henderson and Williams in the first three rounds of this past NFL Draft. They also selected center Jared Wilson at the tail end of the third round. The focus is making sure Maye grows and takes those next steps in 2025. Can Williams help Maye take that next step?

Could Kyle Williams become Drake Maye's go-to target?

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Williams made several excellent catches throughout minicamp, already showcasing a growing connection with Maye. The former Washington State Cougar excelled against man coverage in college, something the Patriots' receivers struggled with last season. Maye looked to him many times through the practice, including on a couple of interception attempts. These early showings have shown some promise. Is this something that the duo can build on?

The early returns look promising. Furthermore, if this helps second-year receivers JaLynn Polk and Javon Baker step their games up, then it's even better for Maye and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels. Vrabel is looking to return New England back to the glory years of just a few years ago. McDaniels led the best offenses in team history, and helped Brady become the greatest of all time. Maye might not get there, but even if he doesn't, that's okay. If he becomes a strong starting signal caller with an ability to lead his team to wins the majority of the time, then that works just fine for all parties involved.

That is something Vrabel and his staff certainly hope occurs. After all, the focus is transforming Maye into the franchise signal caller that a lot of people hope he can be. Top quarterbacks need top targets. So far, the Patriots lack that type of weapon at the wide receiver position. Will the possible ascendancy of Williams help take both Maye and the New England offense to new heights starting this season? If so, then a Patriot return to prominence could come sooner rather than later.