As a recruit, Jameson Williams held offers from many of the nation’s top schools, including Ohio State, Alabama, Georgia, LSU, Texas, USC, Michigan and others.
He was the No. 13 receiver in the nation and the No. 82 player overall according to the 247Sports Composite.
Williams put up huge numbers as a senior, as he caught 68 passes for 1,626 yards and 22 touchdowns, which included a game where he put up 257 yards receiving with five touchdowns.
As a junior, Williams finished with 36 receptions for 1,062 yards and 15 touchdowns. He also returned three kickoffs for touchdowns.
In a calendar year when Ohio State has signed a 5-star wide receiver in Garrett Wilson and received commitments from four Top 100 receivers in the 2020 class, it would be easy to overlook what Jameson Williams brings to Ohio State.
But it would also be very, very wrong.
What To Like
The interesting thing about Jameson Williams is that you don’t always need words to explain what to like about him.
[Sees Jameson Williams averaged 30 yards a catch last year.]
Me: Probably just a bunch of bombs.
[Watches first five plays of junior highlights.] pic.twitter.com/TEhuWL39D5— Tony Gerdeman (@TonyGerdeman) June 14, 2018
Watching him run, there is some similarity to past Buckeyes like Ted Ginn and Parris Campbell. When he kicks it into gear, it’s almost like watching a cover version of those guys.
Ryan Day called him a legitimate deep threat on signing day, and that is obvious, but he is more than just a straight-line guy.
Jameson Williams isn't just a deep threat. He's also dangerous in a vacated zone. (And then also a very impressive deep threat.) pic.twitter.com/Y63uAiFC5x
— Tony Gerdeman (@TonyGerdeman) July 16, 2019
Prior to the 2013 and 2014 seasons, Ohio State worked hard to turn Devin Smith into more than just a deep threat. Eventually, that process was proven unnecessary because of how dynamic Smith was with the deep ball, but Williams appears to ahead of that curve. He is plenty comfortable catching the ball over the middle and then creating daylight with both his speed and quickness.
In the play below, he makes a quick move to dodge a tackle after the catch and then hits the gas.
Ohio State freshman wide receiver Jameson Williams has so many impressive highlights. This one should see him tackled around midfield, and yet he gets out of it and is high-stepping from the 35. pic.twitter.com/RoJ8UKQcLs
— Tony Gerdeman (@TonyGerdeman) July 16, 2019
The Potential
Williams is a threat to go the distance from all three levels.
He can take a screen pass from behind the line of scrimmage and split a defense, or he can do the same on a slant or by simply finding an open zone, or he can take the top off the defense on a deep route. He will command attention from the defense once he becomes a known quantity.
Williams will need to get bigger and stronger, but that process has already begun. He has broken plenty of tackles in high school and is a fighter with the ball in his hands.
If Williams was just a straight-line guy, there would be plenty to like. And if he was just a run-after-the-catch guy, he would still be a top prospect. The fact that he appears to be a combination of both could be a boon to the Buckeyes down the road.
The Expectations
Jameson Williams might need a redshirt year to build up his strength for the demands of Big Ten football, but he’ll still get some opportunities over the first few games.
Playing the same position as Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson might make the depth chart a tough hill to climb, but if his skill set carries over to college football as OSU expects it to, there will be a place for Williams in the Ohio State offense regardless of how crowded the position is.
The Bottom Line
Jameson Williams is one of the most explosive receivers in the 2019 recruiting class and one of the most dynamic playmakers Ohio State has signed in years.
He has learned to catch a variety of different passes from a variety of different angles. Williams doesn’t fight the football when it’s in the air, he just goes and gets it. The screen passes come quick and his hands are ready. He tracks the deep balls well and never looks uncomfortable.
Ohio State is on an incredible run of receiver recruiting of late and Williams is a large part of that. While others get the bulk of the attention, Williams may end up getting the bulk of the highlights.
Oh, and he also returns kickoffs.
And maybe the Buckeyes have also found a kick returner in Jameson Williams. pic.twitter.com/lu6FME40Jc
— Tony Gerdeman (@TonyGerdeman) July 16, 2019
I had that same thought when he was being recruited………..Like Ted Ginn Jr., if he’s even, he’s leavin’. His strides are deceptive, and he’s actually faster than what he appears. Because of his strides he’s really difficult to gauge pursuit angle. All of his thinking and path assessment is concluded before he takes a step off the LOS. That’s a trait TG jr. also had, even more than Parris Campbell. Parris could rely on his immediate acceleration to top end in very short spaces to bounce through traffic. A guy like KJ Hill is best compared to Santonio Holmes….not a blistering runner, but a precision route runner with great hands to attain the same end result. (for the record. KJ came into Ohio State with a better upper body development than Santonio did. It took Santonio a year to get strong enough in his upper body and arms)
Jameson has a real shot at earning TG jr. like accolades before he leaves Ohio State.