Former Clemson Star is About to Get a Huge Opportunity

Going into last season, Clemson Tigers wide receiver Antonio Williams was viewed as a first-round talent in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Williams was coming off of a terrific 2025 campaign in which he hauled in 75 receptions for 904 yards and 11 touchdowns, establishing himself as the top dog in a receiving corps that also included T.J. Moore, Bryant Wesco and Tyler Brown.

The hype surrounding Williams was palpable heading into his final season at Clemson, much like numerous other Tigers NFL prospects last year.

Unfortunately, Williams did not live up to expectations, catching just 55 passes for 604 yards and four scores in a disappointing final act.

Williams ended up falling to the the third round of the draft, where he was picked up by a Washington Commanders team that, at the time, only really had Terry McLaurin in its wide receiver room.

Later on in the offseason, however, the Commanders signed Stefon Diggs, which clouded Williams' role.

Things have changed, though.

McLaurin is now out for the season after tearing his patellar tendon, and with the Commanders sitting at 1-4-1 coming out of their bye week, Diggs could be on the trade block before the NFL trade deadline.

Even if Diggs doesn't get moved, McLaurin's injury should absolutely open the door for Williams, who has logged 18 catches for 205 yards and a touchdown through six games.

The Clemson product is third on the team in targets behind Diggs and McLaurin, but he should definitely see the ball a whole lot more during the second half.

Williams actually received some Offensive Rookie of the Year buzz heading into 2026 because of the opportunity he might get in Washington, and now, that opportunity is starting to come into focus.

Of course, that will require quarterback Jayden Daniels to pick it up a bit, but he certainly looked solid (outside of a major mental error) during the Commanders' most recent game against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 6.

Head coach Dan Quinn has already said that Williams will be getting more targets now that McLaurin is out, and with Williams being a sure-handed pass-catcher who can both operate in the slot and play outside, Washington should be able to utilize him in a variety of ways as the campaign progresses.

Clemson fans know very well what Williams is capable of when he is locked in, so we will see if he seizes the chance to have a breakout here down the stretch.