Kyle Williams NFL Draft Scouting Report

Kyle Williams didn’t participate in every drill at the NFL Combine, but he did showcase one of the more explosive profiles among the mid-tier wide receivers. His 4.40-second 40-yard dash validated the twitch and suddenness he shows on film, and his movement drills backed up his excellent short-area agility. While he lacks elite size or strength metrics, his speed, fluidity, and burst were on full display, helping to reinforce his potential as a dynamic YAC threat at the next level.

Kyle Williams Background:

Williams started his college career at UNLV, where he quickly made a name for himself as one of the most reliable and explosive weapons on the team. He led the Rebels in receiving multiple times and became a consistent playmaker despite playing in a struggling program. After four seasons, he transferred to Washington State for his final year of eligibility and made an immediate impact in the Cougars’ Air Raid-style offense.

In his lone season at Wazzu, Williams caught 70 passes for 1,198 yards and 14 touchdowns, averaging an impressive 17.1 yards per reception. His senior year was capped off by a Holiday Bowl performance where he recorded 172 receiving yards—a bowl record. He consistently won at all three levels and gave the Cougars a legitimate vertical and run-after-catch threat.

Throughout his college career, Williams totaled 248 receptions, 3,609 receiving yards, and 29 touchdowns. Despite coming from smaller programs, he made the most of every opportunity and steadily climbed draft boards thanks to his production, explosiveness, and polish. He also accepted a Senior Bowl invite and was one of the top performers during the week, putting to rest any concerns about competition level.

Strengths:

• Explosive short-area quickness and stop-start acceleration
• Excellent route runner with twitchy change-of-direction ability
• Natural separator with a diverse release package
• Dangerous after the catch; thrives on screens, slants, and crossers
• Underrated vertical threat with strong deep ball tracking
• Showed out against Power Five defenders at the Senior Bowl

Weaknesses:

• Slight frame with limited play strength; struggles against physical corners
• Small catch radius; may not win many contested catches at the next level
• Some concentration drops
• Minimal special teams experience, limiting early roster versatility
• Blocking effort is there, but technique and strength are below average

Kyle Williams Summary and Chicago Bears Fit

Williams is a dynamic and sudden wide receiver prospect who thrives in the slot and on quick-developing plays. He has one of the better first steps and burst traits in the class, which lets him win off the line and create early separation. That suddenness shows up again in his route running, where he uses sharp footwork and hip sink to snap in and out of his breaks. His YAC ability adds another layer to his game, as he’s elusive in space and can turn routine catches into chunk plays. While he’s not a prototypical outside receiver due to his size and strength, he can stretch the field vertically from the slot, evidenced by his high deep-ball success rate in 2024.

Williams’ weaknesses mostly stem from his lack of physical tools. He’s not going to outmuscle NFL corners or consistently come down with contested catches. He’ll need to keep refining his pacing, route tempo, and deception to overcome physical mismatches. His size might cap his ceiling, but his explosiveness and polish give him a solid floor as a WR3 or high-end WR4 who can contribute in spread-heavy or West Coast systems. He could thrive in motion-heavy schemes that create natural space and allow him to work off leverage.

For the Chicago Bears, Williams could be an intriguing Day 2 target to complement the existing wide receiver room. With DJ Moore and Rome Odunze, Williams wouldn’t need to carry a heavy load right away. Instead, he could slot in as a WR4 and eventually develop into a dynamic WR3 who brings much-needed twitch and speed to the group. His ability to win quickly would make him a nice fit in Ben Johnson’s system, which emphasizes pre-snap motion, timing routes, and yards after the catch.

Suppose the Bears are looking for a young separator with upside who can contribute in specific packages early and grow into a more significant role down the line. In that case, Kyle Williams makes a lot of sense in the fourth round, especially if they miss out on the top tier of wide receivers earlier in the draft.

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