TAMPA, Fla. — Going into his final season at Eastern Washington,
Efton Chism III is getting used to the national attention. Chism was included in the East-West Shrine Bowl's top 1000 NFL prospects in the lead up to the 2024 college football season. The list intends to highlight the best players who are both eligible for the annual all-star game and ready for the NFL.
The East-West Shrine Bowl is scheduled for January 30, 2025 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, with 130 college players being selected to participate. Next year will be the 100th game in the history of the event.
"It's really a blessing to be on a list with some of the best players in the country," Chism explained. "I can't wait for this upcoming season and to go out there one last time with my brothers."
EWU wide receiver coach Jeff McDaniels talked about what impact the recognition will have on Chism.
"This is just the first step for [Efton]. I think he sees it as a challenge, more than a reward, because the job is not done. He knows he still has to get there, so it's more of a challenge and he appreciates the opportunity. He knows it's a good challenge to have and it's another carrot in front of him this season."
Chism is coming off a nearly 1000-yard season, finishing with 932 yards in 2023 and ranking third in the Big Sky - 14th in the FCS. He caught 84 passes and scored eight touchdowns for the season. Against Idaho State, Chism had a career-best, 13 catches, leading to 161 yards and two touchdowns.
In the postseason, Chism earned first team All-Conference honors from the Big Sky and was a third team AP All-American. He gathered additional honors from Stats Perform FCS (third team), FCS Football Central(third team) and Phil Steele's All-Big Sky(fourth team).
As a senior, Chism is an important influence for the wide receivers, "I think [Efton's] role in the room is hard to put into words or numbers," McDaniels emphasized. "It's his leadership day-in and day-out and he is a lead by example guy. Sometimes he talks and gets after the other guys; other times he'll go about his business and the rest of the room knows that is the standard."
Adding to the hype for his final season on the red, Chism is steadily moving up the EWU football record books. The Monroe, Wash. native is second in program history with 5.5 receptions per game and third with 226 total receptions. Chism's 2,541 receiving yards is 12th all-time.
"For him to follow in the footsteps of some of the guys before him, he understands the responsibility and weight of being a leader in the room," McDaniels added. "He cherishes the opportunity to follow the players who came before him."
Chism was named to the Big Sky preseason All-Conference team, earning the most votes of any receiver. He also earned preseason All-American recognition from FCS Football Central.
EWU football's season begins at Roos Field against Monmouth on Aug. 29. The game will be one of six home matchups for the Eagles.
The Eagles open the 2024 regular season on Aug. 29 vs. Monmouth! Season tickets for the 2024 football season are now available. Ticket packages can be purchased online via your Paciolan account, over the phone at 509-359-6059, or by emailing tickets@ewu.edu.
ABOUT EASTERN WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS
Eastern Washington University Athletics sponsors 14 intercollegiate sports, six for men and eight for women, both as learning opportunities for its most athletically talented students and as an enhancement to student and community life. Eastern is affiliated with Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and is a member of the Big Sky Conference, an association of 10 regional schools with comparable enrollments and academic goals.
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