The wideout room for the Philadelphia Eagles is most definitely in flux.
With the addition of Hollywood Brown and the recent attempt by general manager Howie Roseman to snag Darnell Mooney in free agency, it's apparent that all the A.J. Brown drama is far from being resolved. Changes are taking place - with or without Brown on board for the long haul - and with new offensive coordinator Sean Mannion now leading the charge, one can expect those changes to continue.
Enter Clemson wideout Antonio Williams, who, along with Hollywood Brown and Mooney, is another slippery, elusive weapon who could fit the new-look offense quite well. Plenty of pre-snap motion and quick-pass plays are likely to be dialed up moving forward, and Williams shines when it comes to racking up yards after the catch. Currently projected to go on day two, he's another promising wideout worth delving into as April's NFL draft draws closer.
Over at NFLDraftBuzz, the following traits were highlighted in assessing his skillset:
"Savvy route technician who uses tempo shifts and subtle body fakes to consistently win off the line. Tracks the deep ball well and adjusts his frame to make difficult grabs along the sideline. Absolutely zero hesitation working the middle of the field through heavy traffic. Natural feel for sitting in zone windows, giving his quarterback an easy landmark underneath. Shifty and competitive after the catch, turns short throws into real yardage with vision and wiggle."
Eagles might have a good wide receiver prospect in Antonio Williams
Listed at 5-foot-11, 187 pounds, the Columbia, South Carolina native provided the Clemson faithful with plenty of highlights. He burst upon the scene, claiming freshman All-American honors after leading the Tigers in catches (56) and yards (604) in his first year on campus.
Injuries (toe and ankle) derailed his sophomore campaign, yet he bounced back with 75 receptions, 904 yards, and 11 touchdowns. This past season, injuries reared their ugly head once again, as a hamstring issue struck early. Nonetheless, Williams recovered to put together a streak of seven consecutive games with at least 50 yards to cap his collegiate career.
As someone who showcases an innate ability to navigate zone coverage and find soft spots in a defense for quick receptions, Williams sounds like the type of receiver a coordinator like Mannion could relish working with. Williams is similar to another wideout we recently looked at, Skyler Bell, when it comes to the YAC component of his game, highly adept at adding extra yards off short completions.
The Hollywood Brown addition is notable, but it's just a one-year deal, and while the newest Eagle wideout was often utilized in the slot last year in KC - where Williams also plays primarily - Brown can also move around in different roles as he's shown in previous NFL seasons. An explosive player like Williams would vie to carve out a solid role in Philly should he arrive by way of the draft next month.
Read more: Eagles wouldn't have any concerns at wide receiver if they select UConn star
With or without A.J. Brown around long-term, it's clear that changes are already underway in Philadelphia's wideout group.