It is probably the most likely scenario that the Chargers will spend on a defensive cornerstone in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft. But with such an immense crop of talent at top of the wide receiver class, passing over a premier pass catcher that can complement Keenan Allen and be a shiny new addition to Justin Herbert’s arsenal is a tough decision. That decision becomes even tougher when one of those receivers that could be available when Los Angeles is on the clock with the 17th overall selection is Alabama’s speed demon, Jameson Williams.
Williams transferred from Ohio State and wound up in Tuscaloosa primed to carve out a role for himself as the offense’s No. 1 option, something he realized just would not be possible in a room with Chris Olave, Garrett Wilson, and rising underclassman Jaxson Smith-Njigba. The change of scenery could not have turned out better for Williams, who posted 75 catches, 1,507 receiving yards, and 15 touchdowns in his first season with the Crimson Tide. At 6’2” and 190 pounds, Williams established himself as Alabama quarterback Bryce Young’s preferred weapon as the duo pulverized the SEC, earned Young the Heisman Trophy, and garnered Williams a nod as a Biletnikoff Award finalist.
Remember Lightning McQueen’s iconic saying in the Disney movie Cars? To pump himself up before races, McQueen mutters to himself, “I am speed. I’m faster than fast, quicker than quick. I am lightning.” When Williams lines up against the opposing team’s defensive backs, he is probably thinking along similar lines. It becomes fairly striking when watching Williams that he possesses a different gear than every other player on the field in a straight-up footrace.
