Antonio Williams NFL Draft Profile - Rookie Film Analysis

Clemson Tigers wide receiver Antonio Williams (0) stiff-arms Duke Blue Devils safety DaShawn Stone (8) Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025, during the NCAA football game at Memorial Stadium in Clemson, South Carolina.

Film Profile | Analytical Profile

Prospect Information

College: Clemson
Height/Weight: 5'11"/187
Hands: 9 1/4"
Age: 22 (at the time of the 2026 season opener)

Important NFL Combine/Pro Day Numbers

40-Yard Dash: 4.41
Vertical Jump: 39.5"
Broad Jump: 10'4"
20-Yard Shuttle: N/A
3-Cone: 7.0

College Production (Stats)

Profiles similar to:Markus Wheaton

Plays similar to: A more athletic Hunter Renfrow

Position-Specific Attributes and Grades

Note: my usual format (citing examples for each attribute) does not display well on the site. Please click this link to access them.

Positives

• Crafty slot technician who uses tempo changes and subtle body movements to uncover quickly.
• May be a bit on the short side to win regularly on contested catches in the NFL, but he won more than he should have in college (thanks in large part to that 39 1/2-inch vertical).
• This catch is a prime example of his ability to make difficult catches outside of his frame and navigate the sideline.
• While not an explosive yard-after-catch threat, he possesses enough elusiveness to pick up a first down and then some (particularly on screens and other short throws).
• Led team in receptions in every year he logged at least 10 games; charged with an uncharacteristic eight drops in 2024 but had one each in each of his other three seasons.
• Returned punts in each of his four seasons (39 total).

Negatives

• Timed speed doesn't show up very often on tape; he does not produce much natural separation vertically and only produced two plays of more than 31 yards on 55 catches last year.
• Not overly strong and rarely faced press coverage, making him a good bet to be a slot-only receiver in the NFL.
• Will freelance on routes occasionally; relies more on craftiness and guile (as opposed to elite quickness) to get open.
• The potential for an expanded route tree is there, but it was annoying how often Clemson asked him to run a 3-yard flat route.
• Was not asked to block very much and did not appear to have much interest in doing so (this improved significantly from 2024 to 2025).
• Dealt with a foot injury that cost him nine games in 2023 and a hamstring injury that sidelined him for three games in 2025.

Bottom Line

It would be easy to look at Williams' height, weight and speed and suggest he has a chance to make it as a perimeter receiver. He can line up there, but Clemson was justified in utilizing him out of the slot 93% of the time in 2025. It would be a mistake to view him as anything more than a slot at the next level, although that is not exactly a knock against him. There are plenty of examples of players like Williams throughout the history of the NFL who carved out a long career because they win with their mind as often - if not more often - than they do with athleticism. Look no further than another former Clemson receiver in Renfrow, who was slower, weaker and less explosive than Williams, yet somehow managed to have a 100-catch season with the Raiders in 2021. That kind of season is probably not in the cards for Williams, but a few 50-catch campaigns probably are. Like Renfrow, the key will be getting him matched up regularly against linebackers and safeties. Unlike Renfrow, he could conceivably do some work downfield and/or contested catches, although that will not be his forte.

Almost all of his issues revolve around his lack of ideal size, elite speed and muscle. It is hard for receivers of his size to live on the perimeter unless they are speed merchants. He is not. In part because Williams was lined up in the slot so often, he rarely faced a jam off the line of scrimmage, which makes what he might do against physical coverage in the pros a complete projection - one that is unlikely to work out in his favor given his lack of strength. The lack of strength did not cost him from a durability perspective in college, but it likely will at some point in the NFL. Williams is a better prospect than Renfrow was, so it is unlikely that he will fall into the fifth round as the latter did. He will need to find a good fit - a team willing to spread things out or lean on RPOs might be his best chance for immediate success. He is almost certain to contribute right away as a punt returner, which should buy him enough time if he needs to wait his turn offensively.

This article originally appeared on The Huddle: Antonio Williams NFL Draft Profile - Rookie Film Analysis