Vols Football: Profiles for All New Offensive Signees

Preston Williams, Wide Receiver

Arguably the most talented offensive player in Tennessee’s 2015 class, Preston Williams has tremendous upside at the collegiate level and could be the next elite receiver for the Vols.

Williams is a five-star wide receiver out of Hampton, Georgia who is rated as the 29th best overall player in the country according to 247Sports. At 6-4, 191 lbs, Williams has great size, but he could still gain some more weight on his frame to fill himself out.

Not only does Williams possess superb size, but he knows how to use it. His highlight film shows him jumping up and high-pointing the ball multiple times, using his athleticism and height to leap over defenders and bring down seemingly impossible-to-catch passes. He may not be the fastest receiver out there, but he’s not slow by any means, and he has good field awareness.

As a senior, Williams pulled in 36 receptions for 937 yards and 18 touchdowns, following up his junior campaign where he caught 59 passes for 1,388 yards and 14 scores.

The one downside is that Williams won’t come in fully healthy. At the end of his senior season, Williams landed awkwardly on his leg and found out some time afterwards that he would need surgery on his ACL and MCL. A clear timetable for his recovery has still not been established, so it is unclear if he will be ready once the 2015 season starts.

Despite that, Williams still has the potential to eventually be a star for the Vols, even if he doesn’t get to contribute immediately as a freshman.