When the Washington Commanders saw wide receiver Antonio Williams slip through the cracks and into their lap at No. 71 overall in the 2026 NFL Draft, it was a no-brainer. This was a guy they were high on, and he's begun to show why over the early workout phase.
Washington's preparations are in their infancy, of course. But Williams' impact on the field has already caught the attention of one team legend.
There is an opportunity for Williams to earn prominent involvement right out of the gate. The Commanders have questions to answer at the receiver position behind Terry McLaurin. Several have caught the eye over organized team activities, and the former Clemson standout is right among them.
Brian Mitchell sees something different in Commanders rookie Antonio Williams
Brian Mitchell knows a thing or two about football. And even though there is a lot of hard work ahead for Williams, the former special-teams ace can see why the Commanders thought so highly of the young pass-catcher during their comprehensive pre-draft assessments.
"It's not that you see a finished product. I think so many fans and a lot of people in the media (do this). They look for the finished product instead of, okay, I see why they drafted him.
"Antonio Williams? He gave you many reasons why. I could see why. You can see the quick twitch, you can see how the guy settles, or the route running. And if you continue with that, and keep building, then you see why. Then you start to see the person develop that we already look at now."
Mitchell is not alone in his thoughts. The buzz is steadily building around Williams, who was projected to be a first-round pick before things fell flat during his final campaign with the Tigers. Though disappointing from the player's standpoint, landing in Washington put him in a good spot to shine immediately.
It's an open competition. The Commanders could add another veteran to the group at some stage, but the young hopefuls are getting the first chance to force the issue. Treylon Burks and Luke McCaffrey have also shone over OTAs. But they arguably don't have the upside Williams brings to the table.
This is all immensely encouraging, but it doesn't mean much in the grand scheme of things.
Williams is getting his feet wet right now. He'll be thrown into the deep end at training camp, joint practices, and the preseason. Those will be much tougher challenges, but if he comes through them with flying colors, the Commanders will reward him accordingly.
This remains Williams's primary objective. And he is well on his way to achieving it.
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