All of the hype has centered on Terry McLaurin and Stefon Diggs in the wide receiver room. But rookie third-round pick Antonio Williams has also done more than enough to carve out an important role for himself within offensive coordinator David Blough's schematic concepts.
And the growing belief in the building means Williams may not be a bit-part player for long.
Williams may have been an afterthought compared to McLaurin and Diggs — two Pro Bowl-caliber performers whose credentials need no introduction. However, the Commanders believe heavily in his skill set, and a strong summer from the pass-catcher only raises encouragement before his first taste of NFL regular-season action.
Antonio Williams has done enough to feature heavily in Year 1 with Commanders
Expecting Williams to be the second coming of Randy Moss would be foolish. But with McLaurin and Diggs around, the Commanders don't need him to be.
If Williams can excel from the slot, use his dynamic after-the-catch prowess, and take advantage of the added space McLaurin and Diggs' presence is sure to give him, the numbers and opportunities should follow.
That is what the Commanders are looking for in Year 1 of his professional career. Anything else is just a bonus.
ESPN insider Dan Graziano echoed these sentiments around Williams. He's heard nothing but good things from Washington about the Clemson product this summer. And even though Diggs and McLaurin will inevitably restrict his influence, there should still be a role for him to play early.
"The Commanders have been big on third-round rookie receiver Antonio Williams this summer, especially in the slot. Though Stefon Diggs' signing makes it less urgent for Williams to contribute as a rookie, he still could find an early role."
If anything, having two outstanding wideouts in McLaurin and Diggs taking up the attention should help Williams.
Antonio Williams is under no pressure with Commanders, but a quick surge is possible
He can expect a lot of one-on-one matchups. Blough would be wise to move him around to exploit mismatches, of which there will be plenty. The first-year pro is an outstanding separator, and though this will be more challenging against NFL-sized cornerbacks, it's easy to see why confidence is growing.
Williams was listed behind Treylon Burks on the Week 1 depth chart. The Commanders make their rookies earn everything, but reading too much into it is foolish.
He's got a shot at immediate involvement. And he's got the athletic gifts to separate himself from others looking for their fair share of targets.
It's easy to forget that Williams was tabbed as a first-round prospect before a disappointing last year with the Tigers. Mitigating circumstances largely centered on injury issues and Clemson's freefall from the No. 1 seed to missing the college football playoffs entirely. And his stock slid accordingly.
Even so, the tape was intriguing enough for Washington to take the plunge.
Now, Williams has to repay this faith.
Williams doesn't have much pressure to do that immediately. McLaurin and Diggs are the 1-2 punch, but if the rookie can be a solid complementary option and grow as the season progresses, that'll be more than enough.
And once the trust builds even more with quarterback Jayden Daniels, Williams could be a surprise the league won't see coming.
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