The so-called experts might have slept on Antonio Williams during the draft, but it took just one weekend for our Clemson superstar to prove to the entire NFL that he’s built for the spotlight.
At Washington’s rookie minicamp on May 8-9, Antonio didn’t just show up—he flat-out dominated. Head coach Dan Quinn couldn’t stop raving about the former Tiger on The Sports Junkies Podcast, confirming what every Clemson fan has known all along: the Commanders pulled off a highway robbery snagging Antonio at No. 71 in the third round.
“I think one thing that you say, right off the bat, like man, this guy has feel,” Quinn said when asked how Williams looked in minicamp. “He knows when to stop, he knows how to adjust – he just has awareness already as like a big-time receiver. He’s got great hands, great movements to go. He’s off to a hell of a start. … He has definitely been one [of the rookies] that has absolutely jumped out. He’s got real skill about him. So, yeah, we’re really pumped about Antonio.”
The Ultimate Route-Running Maestro
Williams didn’t fall to the third round because he lacked talent. He fell because the NFL still gets blinded by combine numbers instead of real-deal football players who just know how to win. Quinn zeroed in on that rare, uncoachable instinct when he broke down Antonio’s Clemson tape.
“I think when everybody sees him as the route-runner, you’re going to see him absolutely be able to break people off his option routes, in-breaking routes, out-breaking routes – all the different elements that go along with that as a route-runner,” Quinn raved. “He can stop, he can change directions, explosive. Those are a few of the things that jump out to us. But it’s just the feel. It’s not just a height, weight, speed thing – this guy’s got real natural feel as a receiver. That can be a hard thing to measure, but when you see it, you know exactly what it looks like. And Antonio has it, man, in the biggest way.”
Williams already has his eyes set on locking down a starting spot in Washington’s receiving corps, ready to be a nightmare in the slot from day one. He’s about to become Jayden Daniels’ best friend and the ultimate security blanket for the Commanders’ new franchise QB.
Leaving a Historic Legacy Behind
Antonio’s immediate splash in the NFL is no surprise to anyone who watched him carve up defenses in Death Valley. He leaves Clemson as one of the all-time greats, sitting fourth in school history for career catches, piling up 2,336 yards and 21 touchdowns in just 43 games. The two-time All-ACC star even tied the legendary Mike Williams for fourth-most career touchdown grabs in Tiger history.
Even with all the changes on offense in 2025, the 5-foot-11, 195-pound dynamo put on a show every week, earning third-team All-ACC honors. In just 10 games, he hauled in 55 catches for 604 yards and four scores, ran it 13 times for 78 yards and a touchdown, launched a 75-yard bomb for a TD, and chipped in 44 yards on punt returns. There was nothing Antonio wouldn’t do for the Paw.
The Commanders kick off the 2026 season against the Eagles on September 13 at Lincoln Financial Field. Tiger fans, get your popcorn ready—Antonio Williams is about to show the whole country what Clemson greatness looks like on Sundays.
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