Seahawks 2021 Draft Profile: Seth Williams
In terms of star power, the Seahawks boast one of the NFL's best receiving tandems in Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf. Both players eclipsed 1,000 receiving yards and scored 10 touchdowns apiece, joining Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce as the only teammates to reach such milestones in 2020.
But while Lockett and Metcalf remain Russell Wilson's top targets heading into the 2021 season, Seattle suddenly has a depth issue at the position. David Moore, who caught six touchdowns last season, signed a two-year deal with the Panthers, while Josh Gordon was released and Phillip Dorsett joined the Jaguars.
With those defections, the Seahawks should be in the market for an upgrade at the No. 3 receiver spot behind Lockett and Metcalf. Could one of the SEC's most underrated receivers in Auburn's Seth Williams provide a quality complement in 2021 and beyond?
Strengths
Built like a prototypical "X" receiver with a 6-foot-3, 211-pound frame, Williams possesses soft hands and rarely lets passes get to his frame. He excels at high-pointing and plucking the football out of the air, which makes him problematic for smaller corners and safeties to cover on downfield throws. Thanks to his penchant for bringing in 50/50 balls, he averaged more than 20 yards per reception as a junior during the 2020 season.
Once again using his size to his advantage, Williams is courageous running routes into the teeth of opposing defenses, often winning contested catches in heavy traffic. Due to his proficiency on slants and dig routes, he has the potential to be a consistent chain mover with possession receiver capabilities. He's also a matchup issue in the red zone and caught several short touchdowns on fade routes during his time at Auburn.
Boasting an impressive catch radius, Williams can be a quarterback's best friend with his ability to reel in inaccurate throws with plus-body control. When he secures the catch and becomes a ball carrier in space, his physicality and power allow him to break tackles and create significant yardage after the catch.
From an athleticism standpoint, Williams wouldn't be classified as a "burner," though he has more than enough speed coupled with his size to be a viable deep threat at the next level. He ran his 40-yard dash in 4.50 seconds at Auburn's pro day and also showcased his explosiveness with a 37-inch vertical jump.
Though he didn't play many snaps on special teams for the Tigers, Williams played safety at the high school level and his physical presence should allow him to be a quality contributor in the third phase of the game for any prospective NFL team.
Weaknesses
While Williams exhibited decent straight line speed at Auburn's pro day, such burst isn't always evident on his game film and his quickness in/out of routes leaves something to be desired. He's a somewhat stiff-hipped runner who doesn't explode out of his breaks and thus has issues at times creating separation, which could be a far bigger issue against NFL defensive backs.
As a route runner, Williams didn't run a very diverse route tree with the Tigers and his footwork limitations are most evident in this regard. At the NFL level, whichever coaching staff inherits him will need to work with him on his releases at the line of scrimmage and expanding upon the routes he can effectively run. He certainly needs polish in this area of his game to compensate for his agility question marks.
Versatility-wise, Williams wasn't incorporated into Auburn's run game at all and may be limited primarily to playing out the outside rather than being used as a big slot receiver at the next level.
Fit in Seattle
After losing Moore in free agency, the Seahawks need another big-bodied vertical threat behind Lockett and Metcalf and Williams checks off a number of boxes the team looks for at the position. He's a big play waiting to happen, he's a willing and capable run blocker, and he ranks among the best receivers in his draft class at hauling in jump balls downfield.
Where Williams may be the best asset for Seattle, however, is his ability to create after the catch. After signing tight end Gerald Everett in free agency, it's clear and obvious that will be a point of emphasis for new offensive coordinator Shane Waldron, who wants playmakers who can manufacture yardage with the ball in their hands off of quick concepts in the passing game.
In yet another deep class at the position, if Williams remains available heading into day three, he should be in strong consideration for Seattle's fourth round selection to bolster depth and add another weapon to Wilson's arsenal.
