Alabama WR Jameson Williams Progressing After ACL Surgery; Could Falcons Draft Him?

The Falcons need a receiver, and Williams could be that answer.

Jeremy Brener | Mar 30, 2022

If Alabama wide receiver Jameson Williams didn't tear his ACL in his CFP National Championship, he likely would have been considered as the first or second receiver off the board in next month's draft.

Jameson Williams

Calvin Ridley

Russell Gage

However, Williams' injury is going to cost him more than just playing time at the start of the 2022 season. He'll likely fall with an incredibly talented wide receiver draft pool on Day 1. Players like Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave and Drake London will almost certainly hear their names called on Day 1, pushing Williams back to a possible Day 2 value pick.

Williams isn't participating in Alabama's Pro Day, but he did share a video on social media of his progress.

Former Alabama WR Jameson Williams, two months removed from surgery on his torn ACL, is not participating in Alabama’s Pro Day today. But here here he is last week, continuing to progress, with the expectation being that he’ll be running by the draft, per @Alliance_Sports. pic.twitter.com/Z4cP9J1mbR
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 30, 2022

Drake London

Garrett Wilson

Chris Olave

The Falcons have a pair of picks in the second round, including No. 43. There's a chance Williams could be gone before then, but they could also use one or both of those picks to trade up and snag the Alabama receiver.

Williams wouldn't be the first Crimson Tide wideout to start out his career in Atlanta. Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley were both drafted by the Falcons out of Alabama and recorded 1,000-yard seasons with the team. There's an expectation that Williams could hit that milestone when he enters the league.

Given how much the Falcons need a receiver, there would be no issue with the Falcons taking one with the No. 8 pick. However, receiver isn't the only need. The Falcons finished dead last in sacks last season and need a dominant pass rusher. They are also in play for a quarterback like Kenny Pickett or Malik Willis.

Perhaps what's best for the Falcons is being patient with Williams and attacking a different need on Day 1.

Published Mar 30, 2022

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.