As the NFL combine rolls on, a lot will be made of how players run the 40-yard dash, 3-cone drill and a variety of other events. One player who will not be participating in the events but will be highly sought after is Alabama wide receiver Jameson Williams.
Williams tore his ACL in the championship game after catching four passes for 65 yards. In his one season with the Crimson Tide, Williams caught 79 balls for 1,572 yards and 15 touchdowns.
Prior to the injury, the former Ohio State Buckeye was predicted to be the top receiver drafted in 2022. While he may not have gone as high as Ja’Marr Chase did in 2021, Williams was seen as a high upside prospect.
The injury has many wondering how far he will drop. Williams will not be ready to start the season and could miss half or more of his team’s games as a rookie. If the Alabama star is their top-grade receiver, teams must weigh him missing games versus drafting a player with a lower grade.
According to his doctors, Williams is ahead of schedule in his rehab:
Alabama standout WR Jameson Williams is said to be ahead of schedule in his rehab roughly six weeks after knee surgery, per his doctors.
đź“ą @Alliance_Sports pic.twitter.com/CeIC683CQ3
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 3, 2022
Team doctors will evaluate Williams’ recovery for themselves but are unlikely to rush a rookie first-round pick to return from a major injury. If their prognosis matches his doctors, it could mean he is drafted higher than many expected when the injury occurred.