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Auburn’s Duke Williams: Is he the SEC’s most electrifying newcomer?
By Jordan Cox
Published:
The Auburn faithful got their introduction to D’haquille “Duke” Williams on Saturday.
Williams caught nine balls for 154 yards and a touchdown against Arkansas, with seven of those catches and 138 of those yards coming in the first half providing a punch to the Razorback defense. Williams impressed coaches and teammates playing in the slot.
“Duke had a great performance, but we knew that was coming. We expected that,” running back Cameron Artis-Payne said after the game.
Williams is a matchup problem for opposing defenses. A wide receiver by trade, he can line up in the slot against a defensive end or linebacker. The 6-foot-2 inch, 216 pound wideout has the size and speed to torture defensive secondaries.
“He’s one of those guys who is also big, but he can also run. He kind of gets you the best of both worlds,” head coach Gus Malzahn said Wednesday.
Williams’ 154 yards, the best debut for an Auburn receiver in school history, was the most for an Auburn receiver since Darvin Adams’ 217 yards against South Carolina in the SEC Championship Game in 2010.
“He attacks the ball,” Malzahn said after the game Saturday. “There’s no doubt he can do some things with it after he catches the ball, too.”
Williams registered five catches of 16 yards or more on Saturday, putting his big play ability on display. Williams also registered the longest reception of the game with a 62-yard reception on which he nearly scored. Williams was tripped up by an Arkansas safety who fell into his legs after a block attempt by an Auburn player.
Widely considered the nation’s premier JUCO prospect during the winter, Williams was a huge get for Malzahn and the Auburn offense. His versatility to play outside and in the slot, especially at his size, is a headache for defensive coordinators. The inside defender is too slow to cover him, and corners are too short to defend him.
“It’s very difficult, especially with a team that plays a lot of man coverage and leaves that slot guy one-on-one,” safety Jermaine Whitehead said. “Duke is a playmaker. He’ll make a play with two or three guys on him.”
His debut couldn’t have gone any more perfectly, and left fans wanting more.
Sit back and relax, SEC fans, because Williams is going to put on a show.
After living in Birmingham, Ala., Jordan left the ground zero of SEC Nation to head south to Florida to tell the unique stories of the renowned tradition of SEC football. In his free time, his mission is to find the best locales around.
