The expectations for Clemson this season are extremely high. With national championship hopes on the line, they’ll need a big year from quarterback Cade Klubnik.
Most importantly, they’ll need a spark from one of their top receivers, Antonio Williams. We haven’t seen a Clemson receiver drafted in the first round of the NFL Draft since Mike Williams in 2017, but could Antonio change that?
Antonio Williams Revives Trend Of Elite Clemson WRs
In the 2022 recruiting class, 247Sports regarded Williams as the sixth-best receiver and 61st-best prospect in the country. Coming from Dutch Fork High School in South Carolina, he was recognized as a four-star prospect entering college football.
Williams hit the ground running for the Tigers in 2022, as ESPN, On3, and Pro Football Focus awarded him Freshman All-American honors. During that season, he caught 56 passes for 604 yards and four touchdowns.
In 2023, Williams faced setbacks due to injuries and needed to redshirt midseason to maintain his eligibility. Despite only having four starts, he still tallied 22 receptions for 224 yards and two touchdowns.
He returned to his dominant form and firmly placed himself on the NFL’s radar in 2024. During this past season, Williams had 75 receptions, 904 yards, and 11 touchdowns with 101 rushing yards. He also became the fourth Clemson player to record a passing, rushing, and receiving touchdown in a single season.
Clemson’s offense is going to be difficult to stop with Antonio Williams leading the way pic.twitter.com/CmgHFZdDR2
— Joe DeLeone (@joedeleone) June 27, 2025
Williams’ Deep Dive: How Does the Clemson WR Separate Himself?
Williams is the epitome of shiftiness. The defining factor for his success this upcoming year and his impact in the NFL is his ability to change direction and instantly make defenders miss in tight quarters.
With his compact body type, threatening long speed, and quick feet, Williams can be a reliable gadget and slot weapon in an NFL offense. Clemson even went as far as to line him up in the backfield and facilitate touches with him coming in motion. Creative offensive coordinators at the next level will love what he brings as a multi-use weapon.
As a route runner, Williams is tremendous at understanding effective pacing in his routes and then using his burst to create after the catch.
On the play below against Pitt, Williams runs an out route with less urgency as the defenders are caught up by the switch by his teammates. As they create an opening for him, once he has the rock, he immediately picks up speed to gain a considerable chunk. He then plants to make a defender miss for additional yards.
When given a free release in the slot, Williams is incredibly dangerous. In the play below, he runs a post route over the middle of the field, which is too quick for South Carolina’s defensive backs to react. He fires out of the gate with a quick release, and at the top of his route, very subtly dekes the defensive back in front of him.
A quick step is enough for Williams to create additional separation, and he eventually makes a huge play over the middle of the field.
When talking about Williams, we need to emphasize how impactful he is after the catch. In the play below, Williams cuts on a dime on his route and generates a gashing gain after he catches the football. He fluidly stops, catches the ball, and turns upfield quicker than most receivers. Because he’s able to transition twice so efficiently, it creates additional yardage as he rapidly picks up speed.
Finally, Williams has fantastic body control. This play against Texas encapsulates how rare an athlete Williams is. With this ball thrown toward the sideline, Williams needs to maintain concentration while extending for the football and keeping his feet in bounds. This may not be in a tight and contested area, but the acrobatics he displays are jaw-dropping.
The 2026 NFL Draft currently lacks a big name leading the charge for WR1, which could open the door for a prospect like Williams to sneak his way to the top. His play style and skill set will be prioritized on a team-by-team basis. He’ll likely be coveted by offensive coordinators who love shifty, smaller receivers or need a new slot receiver.
One deficiency that may hold back Williams in the NFL is his inconsistency at catching the ball in contested situations and with defenders bearing down. Albeit it wasn’t often, some of his worst drops happened in tight quarters, which can’t happen in the NFL. Linebackers are faster, and defensive backs are more reactive, creating smaller windows in the middle of the field.
His big-play ability shines weekly, but he ultimately projects best as a high-level second or third option in an offense. He will thrive in a situation with a team that has a primary target that demands constant attention from secondaries.
With his athleticism and role, Williams grades out as a mid-second-round pick. That being said, a stellar 2025 season could drive him up the boards into being a mid- to late first-rounder.
