Clemson Star WR Declares For NFL Draft Following Senior Day Win

After the Clemson Tigers’ win over Furman on Saturday, Clemson wide receiver Antonio Williams spoke about the Senior Day festivities that occurred in the team’s 45-10 win over the Paladins.

While detailing how much the game meant to him to be at Memorial Stadium one last time, he added that he will not be using his extra year of eligibility, going into the NFL Draft in the offseason.

“It was the last time,” Williams said after the game. “It was just kind of surreal, man, and I remember the first time I was just happy, but now, as I’ve done it so many more times, I just walk down, you know, don’t want to get hurt or anything. It’s just, you know, I had my coach keep telling me that I was going to be emotional and cry, but it didn’t really set in until I got to the sideline and just looked around, definitely a memorable experience.”

The Irmo, South Carolina, native had an extra year of eligibility after missing most of his sophomore season with various injuries, only playing four games and activating a mid-year redshirt. He bounced back the following year with a First Team All-ACC selection, recording 904 yards and 11 receiving touchdowns, in the 2024-25 season.

After deciding to come back, in an offense that would also be led by senior quarterback Cade Klubnik, Williams will miss the relationship that he formed with his standout signal-caller.

“I don’t think I would have expected how close me and Cade would have gotten my freshman year, but just to really go through everything we have together and just, you know, off the field talks, just talking about life and just ball, and just he’s always there for me,” Williams said. “I’m always there for him, and that relationship is going to last a lifetime.”

The standout receiver finished with a perfect two receptions for 57 yards and two touchdowns in his final home game as a Clemson Tiger, and even head coach Dabo Swinney knows that Wiliams is ready to go to the draft, having high praise for his player.

“He’s ready,” Swinney said after the game. “Somebody’s gonna get a great one. He’s as good as we ever had.”

Williams is the first player to declare for the NFL Draft on Clemson’s talented roster, but he will not be the final domino to fall before the season ends. Players like Peter Woods, T.J. Parker and Avieon Terrell are other players who are expected to go, but also have more eligibility if needed.

Fortunately for fans, they will see Williams play in at least one more game for the team before his future. Clemson will head to Williams-Brice Stadium to play South Carolina in the annual Palmetto Bowl game next Saturday before playing in a bowl game this December, if the receiver decides to play one final time in the orange and white.