Scouting Reports: WR Mike Williams

WR Mike Williams, Clemson

6’4”, 218 lbs.

Pros:

• Excellent height and size, and he knows how to use it, making him a great red zone threat.
• One of the best at high pointing the ball and winning jump balls.
• Consistent wins contested catches making them look easy, makes him tough for a defense to truly take him away.
• Good speed for his size, capable of picking up yards after the catch.
• Great at using boy positioning to box out defenders for the football.
• Advanced route runner.
• More NFL ready than a number of college receivers.

Cons:

• Had a scary injury in 2015 where he fractured his neck making a TD catch in the first game of the year. He returned last year, but that definitely an injury that NFL teams have to be wary about.
• Doesn’t have top end speed, while his speed as a whole is a positive, he lacks that extra gear where he can get behind a defense on a deep route or completely run away from the defense after the catch.
• Won’t create a lot of natural separation with short area quickness.
• Blocking ability is very inconsistent.

Overall:

Williams is my top receiver in the class as he’s a good mix of size, speed, route running and catch ability that should make him at least a good number 2 receiver with the potential to be a number 1. Another thing that works in Williams favor is that his skill set should translate quickly to the NFL level and he could be pretty productive as a rookie.

Williams will get knocked because he doesn’t create easy separation, but the fact that it hasn’t really limited him in college should be considered a positive sign. Williams’ ability to win contested catches and win jump balls are skills that should carry over to the NFL game, and they more than make up for his lack of creating separation. Williams has the size and skill to dominate in the red zone and he should be a major weapon in that area.

As long as Williams checks out medically, he should go in the top half of the draft and be a day one starter for some team. He may never become a true number 1 receiver, but it’s also possible that no one from this class reaching that level. That said he should be a 1,000+ yard receiver with double-digit touchdowns most seasons.