Antonio Williams WR Clemson | NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
Antonio Williams WR Clemson
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
| ROLE: Slot Receiver | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Updated: 12/06/2024 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Draft Year: 2025 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 40 time: 4.45 seconds (69%*) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Age: 20.5 DOB: 07/14/2004 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| ROLE: Slot Receiver | |
| Last Updated: 12/06/2024 | |
| Draft Year: 2025 | |
| 40 time: 4.45 seconds (69%*) | |
| Age: 20.5 DOB: 07/14/2004 | |
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| Overall Rating: | 81.5 / 100 | |
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| Average rating of opposition Defense player has faced | ||
| Defense Rating: |
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76% |
| Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
| QB Rating When targeted: | 134.2 | |
| Hands: |
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60% |
| Short Receiving: |
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75% |
| Intermediate Routes: |
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74% |
| Deep Threat: |
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83% |
| Blocking: |
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50% |
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DRAFT PROJECTION:
7th
Overall Rank:
#222
Position rank:
#25
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| College Games: 31 College Snaps: 1430 | ||
ESPN RATING: 84/100
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247 RATING: 96/100
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RIVALS RATING: 5.9 (97%)
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| Player Comparison* (Similarity level) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Reggie Roberson Jr. - SMU |
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91% |
| Kayshon Boutte - LSU |
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86% |
| Jalen Moreno-Cropper - Fresno State |
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85% |
Draft Profile: Bio
Antonio Williams emerged as a standout receiver for Clemson, overcoming a challenging offensive environment to showcase his potential. The Dutch Fork High School product made an immediate impact as a freshman, leading the Tigers in receptions and receiving yards. His sophomore campaign was hampered by injuries, limiting him to just five games.Williams' high school career was nothing short of spectacular. He helped Dutch Fork secure three state championships, amassing 2,458 yards and 23 touchdowns on 137 receptions. His punt return prowess was equally impressive, averaging an impressive 26.2 yards per return. This versatility and playmaking ability caught the eye of recruiters, earning him four-star ratings from major scouting services.
At Clemson, Williams quickly established himself as a reliable target. His freshman season saw him rack up 604 yards and four touchdowns on 56 catches, earning Freshman All-American honors. Despite an injury-plagued sophomore year, he still managed to show flashes of his potential, including a two-touchdown performance against Charleston Southern.
Scouting Report: Strengths
- Plus body control and spatial awareness. Shows ability to contort and adjust to off-target throws, particularly when working the boundary or in contested catch situations.
- Demonstrates good contact balance and wiggle after the catch. Uses compact frame effectively to slip tackles and create chunk plays in the open field.
- Clean footwork off the line. Displays advanced release package for his age, using quick jab steps and hand swipes to beat press coverage.
- Positional flexibility to align both in the slot and outside. Gives play-callers options in personnel groupings and formation diversity.
- Crisp route runner with good lateral quickness. Consistently creates separation on option routes and over the middle. Savvy at finding soft spots against zone.
- Soft, reliable hands. Plucks the ball away from his frame and shows concentration in traffic. Natural hands-catcher who extends to expand his catch radius.
- Value-add on special teams. Displays vision and elusiveness as a punt returner, offering roster flexibility and hidden yardage potential.
- High football IQ. Demonstrates ability to read coverages on the fly and adjust routes accordingly. Quarterback-friendly target who finds and exploits defensive weak spots.
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- Lacks elite size for an outside receiver at 5'11" and 195 lbs, which may limit his effectiveness against bigger NFL corners in certain matchups.
- Good but not great long speed. Lacks ideal top-end gear to consistently threaten defenses vertically or create consistent separation on go routes.
- Durability concerns. Injury history raises red flags about ability to withstand the physical toll of a full NFL season.
- Needs technical refinement as a blocker. Lacks ideal play strength and leverage in the run game. Could limit snaps in heavy personnel packages.
- Production dip in truncated sophomore campaign. Creates questions about consistency and ability to produce against upper-echelon competition week in and week out.
Scouting Report: Summary
Williams projects as a good upside slot receiver with the potential to contribute early in his NFL career. His route-running savvy and reliable hands should translate well to the pro game, particularly in offenses that emphasize quick, timing-based passing attacks. While he may not possess the prototypical size for an outside receiver, his versatility and special teams value make him an intriguing prospect.Scheme fit will be crucial for Williams' success at the next level. He would thrive in a West Coast-style offense that leverages his short and intermediate route-running skills, as well as his YAC ability. Teams employing multiple receiver sets and those valuing versatility in their skill positions will find Williams particularly appealing.
Given his college production and skill set, Williams has the potential to carve out a solid role as a dependable slot receiver and punt return specialist in the NFL.
Written By:
Felix Green (ACC)
How other scouting services rate Antonio Williams (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
365.5
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
49.0
*Percentile Ranking in Player's Position Group (NFL Combine Historical Data): This percentile reflects how a player's specific statistics rank
in comparison to historical performances at the NFL Combine, specifically within their position group. A higher percentile indicates a better performance.
For instance, being in the 90th percentile for a particular stat means the player outperformed 90% of their peers in that category.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.