Dan Quinn laughed off the idea that the team gave wide receiver Antonio Williams the No. 14 jersey because of the comparisons between him and Detroit Lions receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown. There's no correlation, the head coach said, and he just picked the number at random.

Regardless of whether that's true, it isn't difficult to see the similarities. The Commanders could have taken several receivers with the No. 71 overall pick, but they chose Williams largely because of his versatility. Although Clemson used him primarily in the slot last season, Williams has a history of being used on the outside as well. He isn't the biggest receiver at 5-11 and 187 pounds, but he's an advanced route runner and uses that skill to create separation. That sounds a lot like St. Brown, who has earned four straight Pro Bowl selection using a similar style.

That might be a lofty comparison for a rookie, but the Commanders will try to see how close he can get in the first year of David Blough's new offense. That suits Williams just fine, because that's how he feels that he's used best anyway.

"I feel like I'm a versatile player and I can line up everywhere and run every route," Williams said. "So, I just like being able to go everywhere and I feel like I just have a lot of freedom to do that in this offense."

Blough, who was promoted to Washington's offensive coordinator after being the team's assistant quarterbacks coach for the past two seasons, is familiar with how effective a player like St. Brown can be in his system. He was part of the Lions' quarterback room during St. Brown's rookie season and saw him lead the team with 912 yards and five touchdowns while averaging 10.1 yards per reception. He averaged 3.5 yards of separation, ranking second in his draft class, and averaged 7.7 yards per target.

St. Brown did that while lining up both in the slot and on the perimeter. The split was more lopsided during his rookie year, but as St. Brown started to show his value as a true weapon, the time he spent between those two spots was more even.

Rookie minicamp practices are limited by design, but Williams showed some of that during the 11-on-11 periods the Commanders ran in the roughly two hours the rookie class, undrafted free agents and tryout players were on the field. While one practice nearly four months before Washington plays its first game should hardly be taken as gospel, it does verify that the team is thinking about using Williams in multiple ways.

"What a fit," Quinn said. "He's got experience outside. He's got experience playing inside in the slot. That type of versatility, that goes a big way, and seeing through the last few years [on] the film from him at Clemson at both spots demonstrated route running ability, we're really pumped to have him."

What stood out the most was Williams' route running ability, which is why he's able to play both inside and outside despite not being the biggest player at the position. General manager Adam Peters said the route nuance Williams showed in college was advanced for a player at that level, and Williams showed that by running crisp, efficient routes during individual, seven-on-seven and team drills. Williams said he works with several people to fine-tune his skill set, but he also studies players like Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Davante Adams and Antonio Brown, all of whom are known for smooth route running.

His best tactic for staying sharp as a route runner, however, is practice, and lots of it.

"It's just really trying to perfect your craft and then taking a lot of stuff from other guys and just watching film and learning from them," Williams said. "So, I've always been a student of the game and always looking for ways to improve and get better."

That work showed up in Williams' production. He ranked in the 88th percentile against single man coverage heading into the 2025 season, and that continued in his final season with the Tigers. He caught 70.4% of his targets against man coverage with zero drops. He also caught nine receiving touchdowns of at least 20 yards since 2024, which was tied for the most in college football. It's a credit to his ability to separate at the top of routes, but Williams just sees it as part of the job.

"I feel like that's the name of the game," Williams said. "If you can get open, then a lot more balls will come your way. So, playing receiver, I feel like it's my job to make it easier on the quarterback and create some extra space to give him an easier throw. So, I always want to be that guy and for the quarterback and just be his best friend."

The Commanders would certainly love it if Williams did develop a strong connection with quarterback Jayden Daniels. The team viewed it as a priority to get Daniels more weapons this offseason, and they at least partially accomplished that goal prior to the draft with acquisitions like tight end Chig Okonkwo and running back Rachaad White. They wanted to get younger and faster on offense, and both players satisfy those requirements.

But the Commanders needed a receiver opposite Terry McLaurin because of what the position was like without him. They were left to work primarily with backups, which hardly helped Daniels whenever he was on the field. When the Commanders took Sonny Styles with the No. 7 overall pick, it seemed almost a guarantee that they would take an offensive weapon with their next pick in the third round.

And there were players with different profiles on the board, but the Commanders thought it would be best to give Daniels a player who could do everything as opposed to one with a limited skill set. Williams fit that description, and he views it as his responsibility to live up to Washington's faith in him.

"I'm going to put my head down every day and put in all the work and be the best version of myself, and hopefully that's more than they expect from me," Williams said.