The first thing that stands out about Jameson Williams‘ play is the speed and fluidity he moves with. In short, he’s a freakish speedster, with underrated elements in his game. His catching and ball tracking abilities are the perfect compliment and give him a high floor as a deep threat receiver. All in all, Williams is a threat to score every play with his game-breaking speed. In his final year after Williams transferred from Ohio State to Alabama, he had 79 receptions for 1572 yards and 15 touchdowns.
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Player Bio
Name: Jameson Williams
Jersey: No. 1
Position: Wide Receiver
School: Alabama
Class: Junior
Height: 6’2”
Weight: 189 lbs
Games Watched: Florida (2021), Georgia (2021), Cincinnati (2021), Auburn (2021)
Major Injury History: Torn ACL (2022)
Player Breakdown
Hands/Ball Security (8.5/10)
Williams has a tendency to body catch or trap the ball when it is thrown inside his frame which can result in the odd drop. Whereas outside his frame he does well to cradle and squeeze the ball, making him an effective deep ball catcher. That aside, the body catching and odd drops are fixable and once Williams consistently uses his hands to squeeze the ball when the ball is thrown inside his frame, he’ll be more reliable.
Contested Catch (7.5/10)
Williams sometimes has trouble working through hands and when defenders initiate contact. It is problematic when stronger defenders get hands-on him and means Williams may not win many contested catches. He could get stronger, which would allow him to fight through contact easier and win at the catch point. While Williams might not ever be elite at contest catching, he should be average as he adapts to the speed and strength of the NFL.
Tracking/Body Control (9.5/10)
Williams excels at tracking the ball at every level of the field. He can place his body in a position to win when the ball is in the air. In essence, his body control allows him to get better yardage after catching the ball but also lets him adjust to difficult and deep throws. Overall, this is one of Williams’ best traits and will let him make highlight-reel catches, but also let him make more difficult catches look easier.
Route Running (8.75/10)
Call Williams a developing route runner, as the potential is there. However, there are currently lots of extra steps, or missed opportunities to win the route. While Williams can effectively sink his hips when he makes his break, there are times when he’s engaged with defenders and he’s unable to break contact and get low. As well, for being faster than most defenders, Williams often gets squeezed to the sideline on vertical routes. With all that said, Williams finds a way to separate down the field, and it gives him the ability to make deep catches. He is also great at selling double moves.
Separation (8.75/10)
Williams has good quickness and movement skills for his length. His speed and ability to sink his hips help generate separation when he’s afforded space. He attacks the natural leverage of cornerbacks really well and has a knack for finding holes in zone coverage. The ability to modulate his speed, however, is going to be his way of winning in the NFL. His ability to control or modulate his speed will allow him to win double moves, get easy completions in short to intermediate by selling deep routes, and finally take the top-off a defense and win on deep passes.
Release (7.5/10)
Williams used effective quickness and hand fighting to ensure defenders couldn’t get hands on him. In the Florida game, there was only one rep whereKaiir Elam could get hands on him. While Williams gets slowed down with contact, it is difficult with his quickness and speed to get hands on him. Overall, while the release was great in college, there should be some concern about his ability to fight through contact in press coverage in the NFL. Williams doesn’t currently have the strength needed to win consistently and needs to develop more ways to win when defenders get hands on him.
Run After the Catch (8.5/10)
Williams generates most of his yardage after the catch from his speed. His contact balance is decent, but he is not going to make defenders bounce off of him. He has the speed and suddenness to make defenders miss. When the ball is in his hands, Williams shows great awareness for the first down marker and will drive for more yardage. Will be able to take short receptions for touchdowns with overwhelming speed.
Vertical Speed (10/10)
Williams may end up being the fastest player on the field at certain times. He’s extremely effective at modulating his speed, but then has this fifth gear where very few people can catch him. His speed threatens defenses to the point where their safeties have to ensure Williams doesn’t get behind them. Overall, many offenses will want his overwhelming speed which will force defenses to double cover him.
Burst/Acceleration (5/5)
Williams’ burst is arguably the best in this class. His ability to shift from his first gear to his fifth gear is special. This burst and acceleration allow him to throw defenders off when running routes and when the ball is in the air. Williams’ ability to modulate his speed, mixed with his natural burst will make him a deadly deep threat.
Athleticism (5/5)
Williams is a superior athlete on the field. He shows overwhelming speed, quickness, and body control. The body control in the air along with the vertical leaping ability is special and gives him the ability to win in the air. His body control while running routes for his height and weight affords him more opportunities to win. While the strength isn’t going to blow people away and may affect some routes, there will be an opportunity for Williams to win using his quickness and speed.
Blocking (4/5)
There are some great blocks from Williams, as he shows good technique when he squares up to defenders with his angles, hands, and contact. The only thing he can improve is shooting his hands up quicker to initiate contact. That aside, he can generate great drive and spring a long run. His length gives him the advantage to win the one-on-one matchups.
Versatility (4/5)
Williams projects to be able to play outside receiver. However, he did play roughly 27 percent of his snaps out of the slot at Alabama. Early on in his NFL career, when adapting to the speed of the game and strength of press, Williams might be better suited to get free releases in the slot. He can play inside or outside as he has the necessary quickness to release from the outside.
Player Summary
There are some aspects to Williams’ game that can improve with NFL coaching. If Williams can add more nuance to his route running, improved contested catchability, and the ability to win the contact battle on routes, he can be an effective all-around receiver. However, even if these traits don’t develop, he is already an intriguing deep threat and someone who can generate explosive plays and long touchdowns.
Williams will be highly sought after, as his ability to modulate his speed along with his fifth gear will make defenses wary of him play after play. He will always have a role in an NFL offense as a deep threat and can be a dynamic part of any receiver core. Williams’ full potential is a dominant receiver who can be an effective three-level threat.
Rookie Projection: Vertical Threat Receiver
Third Year Projection: Best Deep Ball Receiver in the NFL
Final Grade (87/100): Late First Round
Pro Comparison: Marquise Brown
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