Ten Most Important Tigers in 2024: Wide receiver Antonio Williams

Antonio Williams is a key cog in Clemson's offense.

TigerNet Staff - Friday, June 28 2024

We're assembling the ten players key to a Clemson football resurgence this season.

Our list isn’t simply the best ten players on the roster but those who either have big shoes to fill or the potential to launch Clemson into a spot to contend.

On to No. 6 in the countdown, junior wide receiver Antonio Williams:

6) Antonio Williams - Junior (Wide Receiver)

Grayson Mann

One receiver is hoping to change his fortunes in year three.

Antonio Williams, who burst onto the scene as DJ Uiagelelei’s top target in 2022, seemed primed for an even better sophomore campaign.

Three games in, Williams was trending in that direction. He had recorded 15 catches for 125 yards and two scores. Following that stretch, he went on to play in just two of Clemson’s remaining ten games.

With Williams out for the majority of his sophomore season, Clemson had to find yet again a true No. 1 receiver to lead the way.

Williams led the team in yards in his freshman year, with Tyler Brown arriving on the scene doing the same in 2023.

The Tigers have had a different receiver lead the team in yards each season for quite some time, with the last wideout to crack 1,000 yards being Amari Rodgers in 2020.

Williams has an opportunity to be Clemson’s leading man again, with some new pieces to the offense and some new perspective.

Now healthy, Williams has found a new appreciation for the game he missed for an extended time last year.

“It feels great,” Williams said. “Last year, I definitely realized I took being healthy for granted and this game, I love it so much. So every time I step onto the field, I’m going to give it 110%.”

If the Tigers want to grow as an offense in 2023, they will undoubtedly need Williams’ 110 percent on the field.

David Hood

Williams has the ability, drive, and talent—he just needs to stay on the field.

Clemson has played 27 games during his time on campus, and he’s played in 19 of those. But only a handful of those 19 have seen Williams completely healthy. The coaches made the right choice to shut him down at the end of last season and then shut him down again for the spring.

He was able to have surgery, rehab, and simply get healthy without worrying about the depth chart of learning a new offense. And this offense will need a healthy Antonio Wiliams—the Tigers should be better along the offensive line, Cade Klubnik should be better, and tight end Jake Briningstool will receive blanket coverage from defenses.

That will leave a lot of receivers with 1-on-1 coverage, and we know Williams can make plays in the open field.

He just has to stay healthy.

10) Center Ryan Linthicum

9) Linebacker Sammy Brown

8) Freshman WRs TJ Moore and Bryant Wesco

7) Cornerback Avieon Terrell