2026 NFL Draft Scouting Report: WR Antonio Williams, Clemson

Tyler Lawrence
5 hours ago
4 min read

Name: Antonio Williams

Position: Wide Receiver

School: Clemson University

Height/Weight: 5’11”, 190 lbs

Class: Senior (2025 season)

Hometown: Irmo, SC

High School: Dutch Fork High School

Recruiting Rank: 4-star recruit, #61 overall, #6 WR nationally in 2022 class (247Sports Composite)

(Photo by John Byrum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Draft Projections (as of January 2026):

• Pro Football Network (PFSN Big Board, crawled January 21, 2026) → 3rd round, WR13 (#91 overall)

• PFF (Big Board, published January 12, 2026) → 3rd round, WR ( #87 overall)

• NFL Draft Buzz (profile, updated January 15, 2026) → 2nd-Late round, #10 WR (#55 overall)

• NFL.com (Senior Bowl prospects, published December 5, 2025) → Day 2 projection

• ESPN (Mel Kiper Big Board, updated January 16, 2026) → Top-10 WR (no overall rank)

• Consensus (NFL Mock Draft Database, updated January 21, 2026) → #75 overall (WR13 average)

Career Background

A four-star recruit, Antonio Williams led Dutch Fork High School to three state championships, losing just one game in his career and earning All-Region honors with multi-sport excellence in basketball and track. He committed to Clemson, making an immediate impact as a true freshman in 2022 with team-leading receptions and yards. Williams battled injuries in 2023 but rebounded in 2024 with a career-high 904 yards and 11 TDs, earning First-Team All-ACC. In 2025, he contributed 55 catches for 604 yards and 4 TDs despite a hamstring setback, helping the Tigers to a bowl appearance. He declared for the 2026 NFL Draft in December 2025, focusing on family and his Clemson legacy.

Career Stats

• 2022 (Freshman) → 56 rec/ 85 tar (65.9%), 604 yards (10.8 avg/rec), 4 TDs

• 2023 (Sophomore) → 22 rec/ 38 tar (57.9%), 224 yards (10.2 avg/rec), 2 TDs

• 2024 (Junior) → 75 rec/ 118 tar (63.6%), 904 yards (12.1 avg/rec), 11 TDs

• 2025 (Senior) → 55 rec/ 91 tar (60.4%), 604 yards (11.0 avg/rec), 4 TDs

• Career Totals (4 Seasons) → 208 rec/ 332 tar (62.7%), 2,336 yards (11.2 avg/rec), 21 TDs

Advanced Stats (2025, PFF):

• PFF OFF Grade → 68.8 (mid-tier among qualified FBS WRs)

• PFF RECV Grade → 68.8

• Snaps Wide 90.0%/SLOT 10.0%

• Yards After Catch → 249 (4.5 per reception/ 41% of total yardage)

• Missed Tackles Forced → 6 (0.11/rec)

• 6/12 contested catch (50.0%)

• Drops → 8 (12.7%)

• QB RTG → 125.4 (mid-tier among qualified WRs)

Awards and Accolades

High School:

• Three-time state champion

• Four-star recruit

College:

• First-Team All-ACC (2024)

• Freshman All-America (2022)

• All-ACC Academic Team (2022, 2024)

(Photo by Cory Knowlton/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images)

Character and Leadership

Williams impresses with his quiet intensity and football IQ, as Clemson coach Dabo Swinney calls him “no swag and all substance,” praising his ability to lead without fanfare while mentoring younger receivers. Teammates like Cade Klubnik note his instinctive adjustments that build trust, while Williams credits his high school success for instilling discipline. No disciplinary problems or off-field incidents emerged; media portray him as focused and resilient. Academic honors include All-ACC Academic Team selections, with a degree in sports communication.

Injuries

Williams played all 14 games as a freshman in 2022 without reported issues. In 2023, injuries limited him to five games, including a lower-body problem that sidelined him mid-season. He rebounded fully in 2024, playing all 14 games. In 2025, a hamstring injury in the opener against LSU forced him to miss three games (Weeks 2-4), returning for Week 5 against Syracuse without further absences. The hamstring was described as day-to-day by coach Dabo Swinney, with no lingering effects noted. Scouts may question his lower-body durability given the 2023 and 2025 setbacks, but no surgeries or chronic conditions are documented.

Play Style

Williams maneuvers as a compact slot specialist who weaponizes twitch to snap routes and generate yards in space, often shaking initial contact with footwork. Easy to bring down if defenders can get hands on him, but his speciality is a game of tag. His hips unlock sharp breaks, allowing him to find voids against zone while manipulating leverage in man. Fits timing-based attacks that scheme open looks; comps include Andrew Hawkins as a player who can get any defensive backs turned around, but is at his best in the short to intermediate routes. After-catch wiggle extends plays, though frame limits power.

Strengths

1. Route Twitch — Explosive hips create clean breaks; generates consistent windows.

2. Separation Rate — Elite quickness off line; shakes coverage at short levels.

3. Gear Shifter — Tempos pace with elite acceleration and change of direction. One of the quickest players in short space.

4. Zone Awareness — Sits in soft spots; reads coverage on the fly.

5. Punt Return Value — Vision and burst add hidden yards; immediate special teams impact.

Weaknesses

1. Frame Limitations — Undersized for boundary; absorbs hits poorly in traffic. 90% of routes came from the slot.

2. Contested Reliability — Loses some 50/50s; drops spike under duress. Runs before looking ball in.

3. Long Speed — Adequate but not burner; caps vertical threat. Formula one movement rather than a drag racer.

4. Blocking Strength — Willing but overpowered; needs technique refinement.

5. Injury Pattern — Lower-body nags recur; test medical thresholds.

Final Evaluation

Antonio Williams emerges as a polished slot option in 2026, delivering route craft and after-catch reliability that could anchor quick-game roles in spread systems. Has a dangerous streak when used in a gadget role, and it shows as a returner. PFN, PFF, and NFL Draft Buzz insights highlight his separation metrics and minimal errors as foundational strengths, though bulk addition would broaden appeal. Suited for precision offenses like Renfrow or Johnson, Williams carries Day 3 value—might extend Clemson’s receiver tradition if frame holds. He profiles as a rotational piece expanding to chain-mover duties over time.