Nick Saban makes the case for Jameson Williams, how he compares to Devonta Smith
Nick Saban is ready to watch another Alabama wide receiver go in the first round of the NFL Draft, as Jameson Williams will be a premium selection on Thursday. The Crimson Tide have become a breeding-ground for top NFL receiving talent, and Williams in the next in line.
In an appearance on ESPN’s First Take on Thursday, Saban was asked to compare Williams to past Alabama first round wide receivers — Jaylen Waddle, Devonta Smith, Jerry Jeudy and Henry Ruggs III.
“Well, they’re all a little different. But I think receievrs are like a basketball team,” revealed Saban. “You got a point guard, you got a power forward, you got a two-guard. So, they all compliment each other when they play together, and we’re fortunate that JaMo would be the fifth first round draft pick in the last three years at the wide receiver position for us.
“He’s got great speed, but man, I’ll tell you what, this guys got a lot of competitive character. He’s got a lot of dawg in him. He’ll play gunner on special teams, he’ll run down on a kickoff. He’s got great speed, and I think he’s a guy that can really take the top off. He can do more than that, plus he’s got some catch and run ability. But I really love Jameson. He added so much to our program, and when you got wide receivers on your team that have great competitive character, that’s really helpful to the development of the whole group, and I think he did a wonderful job in that regard, as well.”
As you can see, Saban believes each first round wide receiver from Alabama brought something different to the table. Later, the Alabama coach was asked to compare Williams to last year’s No. 10 overall pick of the Philadelphia Eagles — the Heisman-winning Devonta Smith.
“It’s hard to compare players, but Smitty was a great all-around receiver,” started Saban. “He was a very competitive guy. We had to use Smitty at corner one spring, and he was one of the best corners on our team. So, he had a lot of diversity as a player. He could play in or out.
“I think JaMo can do both, but I think he’s more of a vertical guy. He’s going to be a guy that’s going to cause a lot of problems for people because of his ability to catch the deep ball, which will make other receivers on that team better, as well, and more effective. So, I think they can be used in a little bit different ways, but I think their effectiveness can be just as good for any team that they play for.”
Evidently, Nick Saban believes the sky is the limit for Jameson Williams, despite his knee injury. On Thursday, one team will get a special wide receiver when they draft the exceptional former Alabama star.