'Doesn't Worry Me!' Ole Miss Rebels' Ayden Williams Not Worried About Crowded WR Room Entering 2024 Season

Ole Miss Rebels freshman receiver Ayden Williams is fully content with waiting for his opportunity to become a full-time starter in Oxford.

Oct 28, 2023; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi Rebels wide receiver Ayden Williams (1) runs / Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports

OXFORD, Miss. – Despite being rated as the second-best player in the state of Mississippi in the 2023 signing class, Ole Miss Rebels receiver Ayden Williams hardly saw the field as a true freshman.

It was not due to a lack of talent on Williams’ part, as the Rebels were simply stacked at wideout in 2023. This past season, Ole Miss was the only team in the SEC to have three wideouts register at least 700 receiving yards.

In 2023, the former four-star prospect hauled in four receptions for 80 yards in 11 games. Williams got the opportunity to speak with the local Oxford media for the first time on Tuesday and talked about what he focused on as soon as his first season at Ole Miss ended.

“I had surgery after the season [ended],” Williams told reporters. “I was just focusing on recovering, learning the playbook better, and just getting an overall understanding of the game for real.”

Williams also revealed where he is on his road to recovery.

“I just got back to doing team stuff and 7-on-7,” Williams said. “I’m working my way back to everything. It’s been a good transition. Coach [George] McDonald has been keeping me updated on everything. I’m getting back into it.”

Williams did not get a lot of on-field experience as a true freshman, but he still learned a lot from the guys who were in front of him on the depth chart.

“Shout out to them guys,” Williams said. “Especially [Dayton Wade], Tre [Harris], and all of them. I really was just trying to be a sponge. I’m under them at practice trying to see what certain releases they do, what they do to get open, and they really taught me a lot my first year – especially [Dayton Wade], we talk a lot. I’ll even go to his house and we’ll just watch film and stuff like that.”

The 6-foot-3, 190-pound receiver has learned a lot and holds an immense amount of potential, but that does not mean he will automatically see the field in 2024. Ole Miss senior wideouts Tre Harris and Jordan Watkins will be back in Oxford for one more ride, and the Rebels also found former South Carolina wideout Antwane “Juice” Wells via the portal.

Nowadays, most players in Williams’ position would likely jump ship and head straight to the portal to find a starting role, but the Ridgeland, Miss., native is using this as a teaching moment to prepare him for the next level.

“It’s really like the NFL with guys coming in,” Williams said. “As long as we stay here, learn everything we need to do, and compete here, when we get to the next level it’s going to be no problem.

“Guys coming in and out? That doesn’t worry me. As long as I put my work in, God's going to take care of the rest.”