Even though the Jacksonville Jaguars were stacked at receiver, they still took Josh Cameron and CJ Williams with back-to-back picks in the NFL Draft to round out the unit. While the rookies probably won't have a big role in 2026, both of them are already making a strong impression at OTAs.
Cameron is back at practice after dealing with an injury he suffered in the draft process, while Williams is turning heads at OTAs. The latter got praise from a Jaguars beat writer who believes he could turn out to be an impact contributor down the road.
CJ Williams is surging at Jaguars OTAs
Mia O'Brien said on the Club 904 podcast that CJ Williams has made a strong impression at OTAs, highlighting the rookie's route-running and speed.
"I see the vision with CJ Williams. I've said this in the O'Brien NFL notebook, I've said this on Brent & Austin, and I've said it on Locked On too," O'Brien said. "I've been really impressed with CJ Williams, and from what I've heard from some of the players in that locker room, they've been impressed too. He's sharp on and off the field, but more than that, again, what are those things that we were looking for at the offseason program? Because there are no pads, because everyone is in T-shirts and shorts."
O'Brien continued, "Number one, he looks the part. Number two, one-on-one off the line of scrimmage. This kid is the smoothest route runner out there, not named Jakobi Meyers or Parker Washington, we could throw Brian Thomas Jr. in there too. Like this kid just looks different, and I'm telling you, last Tuesday, the OTA practice, when he turns up on the field, he hits a different gear. There's a different level of speed there. This is someone who was a top 50 recruit coming out of high school, and I know it didn't work out at USC, it didn't work out at Wisconsin, and then he had no quarterback at Stanford."
Below is the 904 podcast. O'Brien's remarks about Williams start at the 17:02 mark.
Based on O'Brien's assessment, it makes you wonder why Williams slid to Round 6. The answer is simple: he tested poorly in some drills during the draft process. Then again, it doesn't appear to be an issue thus far.
The Jaguars may have ended with a draft steal in CJ Williams
Travis Hunter, Brian Thomas Jr., Jakobi Meyers, and Parker Washington are all but guaranteed to make the team. Depending on how many receivers the Jaguars want to carry, two or three spots will be up for grabs. That gives CJ Williams and fellow rookie Josh Cameron a prime opportunity to get the nod.
Of course, Williams will have to build off his strong outing at OTAs and prove that he can contribute on special teams, an key trait player on the bottom half of the depth chart need to stick around.
But even then, CJ Williams may not have a prominent role as a rookie. Down the road, though, he could become an impactful contributor for the Jaguars.
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