Pierre Williams Scouting Report | Sacramento State WR | 2023 NFL Draft
Player Bio
Coming out of Patterson High School in Patterson, California, Pierre Williams was a two-star prospect and the 465th-ranked Wide Receiver in the Class of 2017.
After a stellar junior season – where Williams recorded 58 receptions, 819 yards, and eight touchdowns – he committed to the University of Nevada. Unfortunately, Williams would only play two games during his senior season due to injury and never enrolled at Nevada. Instead, Williams signed with Sacramento State University, where he would become one of the most productive receivers in program history.
Williams used the 2017 season as a redshirt year to maintain an extra year of eligibility.
As a redshirt freshman in 2018, Williams burst onto the scene for the Hornets, appearing in ten games and accumulating 31 receptions, 553 yards, and five touchdowns.
During the 2019 season, Williams developed into one of the top wide receivers in the Big Sky Conference. Starting in all 12 games for the Hornets, Williams put together the best statistical season of his career, collecting 54 receptions, 931 yards, and seven touchdowns. Williams earned First Team All-Big Sky Honors and became the second receiver in Sacramento State history to record 500 receiving yards during his first two seasons.
In 2020, Sacramento State was forced to cancel its football season due to the Coronavirus Pandemic, providing Williams with another year of eligibility.
As a redshirt junior in 2021, Williams reclaimed his spot as one of the most productive receivers in the Big Sky, racking up 50 receptions, 764 yards, and three touchdowns. As the Hornets’ leader in receiving yards, Williams helped lead Sacramento State to a 9-3 record and its second-straight appearance in the FCS Playoffs. Williams finished the season with the fourth-most receiving yards in the Big Sky and earned First Team All-Big Sky honors for the second time.
In his final collegiate season in 2022, Williams capped off his Sacramento State career with 47 receptions, 723 yards, and nine touchdowns. For the third-straight year, Williams and the Hornets won the Big Sky Conference Championship, advancing to the FCS Playoffs, where they later fell to the University of Incarnate Word in the Quarterfinals. Williams received First-Team All-Big Sky recognition for the third time in his career, becoming one of three players in Sacramento State to accomplish such a feat.
Overall, Williams recorded 182 receptions, 2971 yards, and 24 touchdowns. Williams finished second in receiving yards and fourth in receptions and receiving touchdowns in Sacramento State history.
Scouting Report
Pierre Williams is one of the most complete receivers on the West Coast in the 2023 NFL Draft, despite spending his entire college career playing at the FCS level. At 6-foot-1, 220 pounds, Williams possesses an NFL-ready frame and boasts strong ball skills, a quick release at the line of scrimmage, proficient speed to separate downfield, sharp route running acumen, and stalk-blocking ability.
Williams possesses a formidable build with a well-developed upper half and massive lower half for the receiver position. Williams’ size, strength, and skill set offer him the versatility to impact the game as a slot or outside receiver. With long arms and a substantial frame, Williams presents a difficult matchup for smaller, less-physical defensive backs, regardless of where he lines up on the field.
Williams had some of the most reliable hands of any receiver in the FCS during his time at Sacramento State. In his four active seasons at Sac State, Williams never recorded any less than 30 receptions in a season; Williams even collected 50-plus receptions in two of four active seasons. Williams is a strong hands-catcher with excellent body control and ball-tracking awareness, allowing him to adjust accordingly and reel in tough catches. Although he does not have great leaping ability, he can come down with contested catches using his solid ball skills and savvy wide receiver instincts.
Williams utilizes a powerful lower half to explode off the ball at the line of scrimmage. With Williams’ impressive size and quick release, he is a difficult assignment to press off the ball, enabling him to establish a leverage advantage at the start of his route. To go along with his excellent release, Williams has the proficient speed to create separation on vertical concepts downfield or accumulate yards after the catch.
As a route runner, Williams sinks his hips well and explodes out of his breaks with great change of direction ability. Williams possesses a diverse route tree and has the toughness/courage to attack the middle of the field consistently. Williams’ physicality, explosiveness, and intelligent route running allow him to create separation at the top of his route and locate vacant areas in the secondary.
Williams can impact the game with his blocking ability. Williams operates with great play strength and uses his competitive and tough nature to sustain blocks in the run game. He is a willing blocker downfield and does not hesitate to put his body on the line to create running lanes for his teammates.
Given his well-rounded skill set, intelligence, physical tools, and productivity, Williams should garner interest from NFL teams as an undrafted priority free agent. Williams would benefit from some time on a practice squad to refine his skill set and adjust to the speed of the NFL.
Draft Projection
Priority Undrafted Free Agent