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Ohio State receiver Jameson Williams (6) outruns Miami of Ohio defensive back Ja’don Rucker-Furlow (24) for a touchdown during the Buckeyes’ 76-5 victory at Ohio Stadium on Saturday, September 21, 2019.
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio State football’s Jameson Williams is arguably the fastest player in the Buckeyes’ wide receiver room.
The freshman runs a 4.48-second 40, has a 4.45-second shuttle speed and a vertical of 33.5 inches. The only problem is he didn’t get to show it often this season because of the position talent ahead of him.
He probably got more playing time than most guys buried in the depth chart because of the sizable leads the Buckeyes had in the second halves of games. But he spent most of his time playing on special teams in a role he wholeheartedly embraced. He understands how things work at schools deep with talent. Sometimes you have to wait.
“It doesn’t get to me like that,” Williams told cleveland.com. “I know that there’s talent in front of me, and those are my brothers.”
When he did get his opportunity to shine, he made sure to give people a glimpse into what the future holds for the 6-foot-2, 170-pound former four-star recruit. In a 76-5 win over Miami, he played the entire second half and caught third-string quarterback Gunnar Hoak’s only touchdown pass of the season. He took a simple short route 61 yards for a touchdown.
Ohio State’s core wide receiver rotation this season has a lot of things. But the one asset it lacks is the type of speed that made guys like Ted Ginn Jr. and Parris Campbell elite talents for the Buckeyes. None of them can take a flip pass from Dwayne Haskins and go 78 yards for a touchdown against Michigan. Williams can, and with Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson being the only returners from that core next season, he’ll get a chance to show it.
“I learned a bunch from the day I got in until today,” Williamson said. “All I do in practice is watch everyone else’s reps and see how I can critique my reps. I feel like I’ve gotten better every day since I got here.”
No one brags about the players in their position room more than the wide receivers. All year anytime the public saw someone do something impressive, players would downplay it, saying they’ve seen better in practice. It was a constant routine with fellow freshman Wilson, and he was a regular in the rotation.
Williams falls under that same umbrella, except he’s been seen less often. He’s had his moments in practice as a wide receiver, but he’s more impressed with what he’s done on special teams. That’s the same place Campbell started in his five-year career as a Buckeye before becoming a second-round draft pick.
“Special teams is my main focus right now,” Williams said. “The position I’m in, I try to go hard on every special teams play I get in. Every special team play I’ve made, I would call my favorite highlight this year.”
Williams was one of the members of the 2018 recruiting class who publicly voiced his support of Ryan Day when he took over as head coach following Urban Meyer’s retirement. He didn’t feel the need to look elsewhere. Now he’s glad he took that approach. The Buckeyes are 13-0 with a chance to compete for a National Championship. Everything he was looking for in a school is happening the exact way he’d hoped it would even if it’s not for the head coach to whom he initially committed.
“I just love the culture of Ohio State,” Williams said. “Why back out when I can come here and win a couple Nattys, win a couple of Big Ten Championships and do my thing.”
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