UW Roster Review: Williams Making Up For Lost Time

The wide receiver was one of the more hard-luck players in 2025, appearing in just two games because of injuries.

Rashid Williams hauls in a 43-yard touchdown pass in the Spring Game. | Dave Sizer photo

When Rashid Williams joined the 2023 University of Washington football team, he had to get in line at wide receiver behind Rome Odunze, Jalen McMillan, Ja'Lynn Polk, Germie Bernard, Denzel Boston and Giles Jackson.

Three years later, that line might begin with him.

While teammate Dezmen Roebuck returned this spring as a full-fledged starter and last year's second-leading receiver, Williams came back from an injury-shortened season and made a strong bid to establish himself as the Huskies' No. 1 pass-catcher.

In the Spring Game, the 6-foot-1, 200-pound junior from Brentwood, California, was a showcase player, coming up with a 43-yard touchdown catch well behind the secondary and a nifty13-yard sideline toe-tapper reception.

"To be able to come back and take on that leadership role, it's been great to see Rashid step up and be the guy we know he's going to be all season," UW coach Jedd Fisch said.

This is one in a series of articles -- going from 0 to 99 on the Husky roster -- examining what each scholarship player and leading walk-on did in spring practice and what to expect from them going into fall camp.

Williams was one of the unfortunate casualties of the 2025 season. After earning a starting job, he lasted only through the opener against Colorado State and one play into the second outing against UC Davis before injuries ruined everything for him.

In fact, he first got hurt after making a 27-yard reception and having first-team All-Big Sky safety Khlani Riddick break his collarbone on the tackle.

Rashid Williams is shown with his first-play catch and moments before suffering a serious injury. | Dave Sizer photo

Set to return in the ninth game against Wisconsin after an expedited recovery, Williams caught the ball and got his hand stuck in a teammate's face mask at the same time in practice and he was done for the season.

So he started over this spring and seems to have reclaimed his personal momentum.

"I try to go out there and do my best and do what I'm told by the coaches and stuff and try to make us look good," Williams said.

Rashid Williams appears to be enjoying his return to Husky football. | Dave Sizer photo

It didn't hurt that Boston, last year's top Husky receiver, figuratively passed the torch to him while Williams enjoyed a healthy spring football and Boston was a second-round selection for the Cleveland Browns in the NFL Draft.

"He said you're the leader of the room now," Williams said, "and keep that positivity going."

What he's done: Waiting to really get started, Williams has 18 receptions for 222 yards and a touchdown in 17 UW games. He's showed flashes of making things happen. He played in just one game as a freshman in 2023 and had two receptions against California. He caught a 1-yard touchdown pass against Iowa the following year, one of his 4 catches that day. To open 2025, he had another 4 receptions against Colorado State.

Starter or not: Williams reclaimed his starting role this spring. He actually has three career UW game-opening assignments, one coming at Penn State in 2024 and the other two last season.