Kyle Williams was far and away the best receiver in the two-team PAC-12 this season and quietly among the best producers in the country. Here is a 2025 NFL Draft Early Scouting Report and film analysis on him.
Overview, Film Analysis, And Early 2025 Scouting Report Of Washington State WR Kyle Williams
Measurables:
- 6’0”
- 186 lbs
Player Background:
Kyle Williams has been a consistent piece for all five of his collegiate seasons with both UNLV and Washington State. A three-star athlete out of St. Monica Catholic HS in the 2020 class, his career began with the Rebels. His first season immediately showed signs of his potential, racking up over 400 yards and two scores on 35 catches. He followed it up with another solid year, posting 42 grabs for 601 yards and two TDs in 2021.
His role stayed similar as a rotational piece in 2022, putting up similar numbers. It was his final year with the team and he fell just short of 550 yards with five scores. Williams entered the portal and ended up with the Cougars. His first big leap came in 2023 with Wazzu, eclipsing 800 yards and scoring six times. He took it to a different level in his final season, with almost 1,200 receiving yards and 14 TDs.
Accolades:
- Second-Team Freshman All-American (2020)
Strengths/Pros:
Williams’ feet are sharp during his release, causing defensive backs to be off balance and vulnerable to quick moves. His releases are impressive and he flies out of his stance, engaging himself athletically to stack and navigate coverages. He manipulates DBs well when going vertical, accelerating with a level of savviness that generates deceptive separation. He possesses solid long speed and is hard to hawk down when breaking away into the open field with his long strides. His after-the-catch abilities are dangerous, weaving between tackles and easily contorting his body to avoid contact.
His route tree is impressively developed for a collegiate wide receiver, and he knows how to run just about every concept with finesse. Williams is heavily utilized in pre-snap motion sequences and offers solid alignment versatility. He easily finds soft spots against zone coverage, sneaking into space and settling down well. His ball-tracking skills are consistent and reliable, with solid leaping ability and good concentration. He changes direction smoothly when cutting inside and accelerates well through his body contortions.
Weaknesses/Cons:
Like most smaller-built wideouts, Williams struggles with physical coverage. He needs to use his hands more when navigating mid-route coverage, simply trying to move past it but lacking the strength to do so. His agility is heavily suppressed in tighter spaces and when faced with contact. His routes become more rounded, and he isn’t able to separate as well in those situations.
He needs to heavily work on making himself available to his quarterback on comeback routes. Williams often sits down too much instead of working back to the QB to create much-needed space. He gets moved off his base by early jams and is too slow in re-establishing his leverage to let his natural tools shine. He’s a very poor blocker, without the strength or technique to be trusted to hold his own on the outside. He also has some awareness issues when flipping his hips, leading to miscommunications.
Potential Team Fits:
NFL Projection:
Kyle Williams has yet to get the national draft hype that he deserves, but it’s bound to come soon. He has all the tools of an above-average NFL receiver and could be a fantastic addition to any offense on Day 2 of the draft. His skills against physicality need improvement but he should easily be schemed in a way where his strengths are accentuated. He’s the perfect WR2 for developing QBs and will give defenses all sorts of trouble if put in the right situation.
Prospect Grade:
- Late 2nd Round
Film Exposures:
- 2024 vs. Syracuse
- 2024 vs. Boise State
- 2024 vs. Utah State
Main Image: Craig Strobeck – USA Today Sports
