Steve Smith compares NFL Draft WR to himself

Legendary former NFL wide receiver Steve Smith had some very high praise for one player selected in the NFL Draft on Friday.

In a draft analysis video, Smith revealed that he is a huge fan of former Washington State wide receiver Kyle Williams, who was selected by the New England Patriots in the third round of the draft. Smith even went as far as to compare Williams to a new version of himself.

“A lot of people always ask me in the comments, ‘Who’s the guy that reminds you of you?’ And a lot of times, you say nobody,” Smith said. “The reason I say nobody is when I was playing, everybody was always talking about how I’m not very good. … If I can go back in time and say who reminds me of who I would like to look like and be like? Kyle Williams. That’s the kid that reminds me of me.

“He reminds me (in) his demeanor. He’s going to punch you in the mouth. He’s going to look at you. I really like this kid.”

Smith said Williams was his No. 2 or 3 wide receiver and praised his hands and skill set. His only real criticism of Williams is that the incoming rookie needs to improve his route running.

Smith is not afraid to be brutally honest about NFL players, and does not often compare anyone to himself. For him to say this about Williams is pretty high praise.

The Patriots landed Williams at No. 69 overall. The Washington State product is viewed as a potential big play threat in the NFL, and he racked up 70 receptions for 1,198 yards and 14 touchdowns with the Cougars in 2024. Some of those were highlight-reel grabs, and it’s easy to see why he was so appealing to New England.