Auburn Football: Offensive Depth Chart Projections – Wide Receiver

Nov 8, 2014; Auburn, AL, USA; Auburn Tigers receiver receiver D

D’haquille Williams

I was sure we’d seen the last of “Duuuuuuuuuuuuuke” in an Auburn football uniform.

The big-bodied wide receiver exploded on the scene in 2014 with nine catches for 154 yards and a touchdown against Arkansas in the season opener, and went on to be a big part of Auburn’s early success last season.

Despite missing three games, Williams led the Tigers with 45 receptions and five touchdown catches in his first season following a transfer from Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College. The 6-foot-2, 216-pound wideout finished just 11 receiving yards behind Sammie Coates’ team-leading 741.

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Through the first six games, Williams was on a record-setting pace. He hauled in 31 passes for 493 yards and five touchdowns, and the school records in all categories were in jeopardy.

However, a sprained knee against Texas A&M cost him two games, and though he returned to catch seven passes for 121 yards against Alabama, an unspecified suspension forced Williams to miss the Outback Bowl.

I was shocked when D’haquille Williams decided to return to the Auburn football team instead of jumping to the NFL. Shocked. But Williams insisted he had unfinished business.

Now, he enters 2015 as one of the best receivers not only in the SEC, but in all of college football. In fact, the Louisiana native is atop NFL Draft analyst Mel Kiper’s list of pro receiving prospects for the 2016 NFL Draft.

“Duke Williams will be the elite guy you would think and you would hope next year,” Kiper said during a January teleconference. “I think when you look at Duke Williams he’ll be the No. 1 guy and next year he’ll go into the season right there at the top. There’s not going to be many receivers rated ahead, if any rated ahead of Duke Williams going into the season. He’s going to have a very high grade.”

With Williams back, assuming he stays healthy and out of trouble, new quarterback Jeremy Johnson will have a major weapon at his disposal in the passing game and Duuuuuuuuuuuke could be in store for a very big year.

Next: Ricardo Louis