New England Patriots rookie receiver Kyle Williams turned some heads Wednesday when he went up and pulled down a contested catch against top corner Christian Gonzalez on the first day of training camp. It was a solid start for the 22-year-old Williams, but the third-round pick is well aware he has a long way to go at the NFL level.

The good news is he's got a great brain to pick from in four-time Pro Bowler Stefon Diggs. The veteran receiver has been helping quarterback Drake Maye and New England's young receivers -- and players on the defensive side as well -- since offseason workouts, and Williams is grateful to have a great teacher in Diggs.

"I could go through A through Z [all he's taught me], there's so much I don't even want to list right now," Williams told WBZ-TV's Dan Roche after Thursday's practice in Foxboro. "He's taught me so much and has been a great role model, a great icon, a mentor to learn from. Every day he's provided me game and I'm just adding it to my toolbox."

Williams said Diggs is helping him with everything from different techniques to his behavior on and off the field. He's soaking in everything New England's veterans have to offer as he prepares for his first season as a pro.

"I'm just learning from the vets and taking what they got. Day by day, being honed in and seeing where it fits in my game," explained Williams. "My strengths are something I can prove every day. My weaknesses, I try to turn them into my strengths."

What are Williams' strengths heading into his rookie year?

"For me, I can do a lot of things. I don't want to base it on just one thing," he said. "Just day by day, I want to improve my strengths and weaknesses so I can be a complete receiver."

Williams is certainly versatile, as he was both a deep threat and inside option the last two years at Washington State. He displayed crisp route-running and some blazing open-field speed over his college career, resulting in 248 receptions for 3,608 yards and 29 touchdowns over his five seasons for the Cougars and the UNLV Rebels. 

He also seems like a big play waiting to happen. Last season, Williams had five games where he had over 100 receiving yards. He also had back-to-back three-touchdown games for the first time in Washington State history. 

Fans caught a glimpse of Williams' abilities Wednesday when Maye went his way despite Gonzalez being draped all over the rookie. The 5-foot-11 Williams was up to the challenge, as he got position and came back on the ball on the sideline to make one of the best catches of the afternoon. 

"He made a big-time catch," Maye said Wednesday. "Strong hands. I told him to maybe sell it a little more, just try to give him a go-route feel. But I think he's coming along. He's looking good."

Williams is the kind of receiver the Patriots hope will grow alongside their second-year quarterback, leading to a lot of connections that end up in the end zone. It remains a work-in-progress, but Williams was among the pass-catcher who attended Maye's three-day throwing session in North Carolina ahead of camp.

"It's been good. We had a great offseason," Williams said of his relationship with Maye. "Still learning each other and still learning the playbook. Every day we're going to keep building it brick by brick."

There will be a lot of building and learning for Williams this year. Though he was born in Maryland, he's spent most of his life on the West Coast. His first day in the Patriots offices was the first time he's been this far Northeast. 

"I thought New England was in Boston, so when I came to Foxboro, I was like, OK," he said. "All the trees reminded me of Pullman (where Washington State is located), just with a lot more variety and options food-wise."

Williams doesn't have a car, so he hasn't gotten to dabble too much into the many different eateries he mentioned. But for now, he's still sticking with his West Coast dining.

"We stay true to our roots," he said. "West Coast is the best coast, but I'm a Patriot at the end of the day."

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