Getty Jameson Williams
T
he New England Patriots might have bolstered their group of wide receivers with the acquisition of DeVante Parker, but an NFL Draft Expert believes that a wide receiver could be coming to New England.
Even with the acquisition of Parker, the Patriots have been welcoming some of the NCAA’s best pass catchers to New England for visits. Slade Bolden and John Metchie III have both talked with the Patriots but that’s not who Daniel Jeremiah of the NFL Network believes New England should select.
In a conference call with reporters, Jeremiah stated that Jameson Williams would be a “home-run pick” for the Patriots.
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“Obviously Jameson Williams would be a home-run pick,” Jeremiah stated. “That would be somebody they would have great info on with Nick’s (Saban) connection there with Bill (Belichick). That to me would be a fun one.”
What to Know About Williams
Williams had an interesting college career. After failing to catch on at Ohio State, the wide receiver transferred to Alabama where he had an amazing season in 2021. Williams tallied 79 receptions, 1,572 yards, and 15 touchdowns. He led the Crimson Tide in receiving yards, touchdowns, and average yards per reception.
Analyst Lance Zierlein described Williams as having electric speed that can impact a game.
“(Williams is a) linear route-runner with electric long speed to impact a game as a home-run hitter or decoy drawing defenders away from other elements of the offense,” Zierlein said. “Williams ruins man coverage but faces some limitations. He has issues getting off press cleanly and might require some scheming to help get off the mark cleanly against certain corners. Catch toughness can be inconsistent when contested or in heavily trafficked areas. He has all the juice to find consistent separation on vertical, over and post/corner routes and could see monstrous production if paired with a high-end talent at quarterback.”
Still, teams in the draft are worried about Williams’ health. He suffered a torn ACL in the national title game which will affect the start of his NFL career. Teams are also concerned about his sudden rise after mediocre production at Ohio State.
“How does a player with this kind of talent catch only 15 balls at Ohio State? That’s the question our coaches are going to ask when they get involved,” a pro personnel director for an AFC team told Zierlein.
How Does Williams Fit in New England?
The Patriots have the potential to be a great landing spot for Williams.
New England has depth at the wide receiver position for the first time in a while. Williams wouldn’t be under pressure to perform right away. This would give him the chance to get fully healthy before stepping onto the field.
Williams also would have low expectations compared to the Patriots’ previous selection at wide receiver. With N’Keal Harry having a poor start to his NFL career, it would be difficult for Williams to do worse. In three seasons, Harry only has 57 catches for 598 yards and four touchdowns.
If the Patriots are to land Williams it will require luck or moving up in the draft. CBS Sports has Williams going 17th while Pro Football Focus ranks Williams as a mid-first-round pick.
But for a “home-run pick” it might be worth the price to snag Williams.