Rookie Scouting Profile: WR Jameson Williams

Jameson Williams (WR) Alabama

Height	Weight	40-Time	DOB	NFL Draft	Dynasty ADP	NFL Comp
6-1 1/2	179	–	03/26/2001	1-2	1.05-1.07	Henry Ruggs/Will Fuller

College Production

Elite, four-star Under Armor All-American standout at Cardinal Ritter College Prep in St. Louis, Williams was a stand-out wide receiver in addition to winning back-to-back Class 3 state titles in the 300 hurdles, including breaking Ezekiel Elliot‘s Ohio state record. Committed to Ohio State and played sparingly behind Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson in 2019-20 before transferring to Alabama as a junior. Was named First-Team All-American and All-SEC First-Team after exploding for 79 grabs, 1,572 yards, and 15 touchdowns before tearing his ACL during the national championship in January.

Strengths

• Dangerous straight-line vertical deep threat with burst, separation ability, and an elite run-after-catch option who consistently produced a ton of YAC at Alabama. Very elusive as a runner.

• Fluid route-runner who commands respect and is able to stop on a dime. Speed off the line and out of breaks will result in a lot of wide-open opportunities downfield.

• Second among all NCAA wideout with 10.6 yards after contact per reception and 3rd with a 146.3 QB rating when targeted versus zone coverage.

• Makes solid adjustments and tracks deep balls extremely well.

• Plus returner who housed a pair of kickoff returns for touchdowns in 2021.

Weaknesses

• Suffered torn ACL in national championship game against Georgia and was unable to participate in any drills during the NFL Scouting Combine.

• Only had one year of production and was unable to unseat fellow rookies Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson at Ohio State

• Slightly thin frame.

• Lacks strength to overpower defenders. Can be contained by stronger press coverage. Did not stand out in contested-catch situations.

Fantasy Outlook

Williams was trending towards the top half of the first round of the NFL Draft before his untimely knee injury. With a recovery timeline expected to last well into the summer, Williams’ rookie development could be slowed. That’s caused his dynasty ADP to dip slightly, but he’s still expected to garner attention in the middle of Round One in rookie-only dynasty drafts. Landing in Dallas would be ideal for Williams fans. Uncertainty about his knee makes him a risky proposition in redraft, but he has the potential to be an immediate fantasy WR3 or WR4.

Post-Draft Recap

The torn ACL that Williams suffered in the national title game was not a concern for the Lions, who traded up in Round 1 to nab Williams with the 12th overall pick. Despite the vote of confidence, Williams will be a risky bet in redraft formats because he’s unlikely to participate in many (or any) preseason games and the Lions have a suboptimal quarterback situation. That said, Williams is a fantastic overall prospect and a sure-fire top-5 option in rookie-only leagues. If healthy, he’s got the potential to post WR2/3 number on a week-to-week basis.