Paul Bretl | 5/3/2025
GREEN BAY, Wis. — When TCU wide receiver Savion Williams got the call from Brian Gutekunst on Day 2 of the NFL draft, an overwhelming amount of emotion washed over him. For one, a lifelong dream of being drafted and making it to the NFL had been achieved. But playing in Green Bay and with the Packers is also exactly where Williams wanted to be.
“That whole week before the draft, everybody was always asking me, ‘if there was one team you could get picked by who would you want to get picked by?’ I told them it would be Green Bay,” Williams said on Friday at Packers’ rookie minicamp. “That’s where I want to go and shoot, just seeing the area code number just pop up and then just grinning the whole time. Just knowing I’m being in Green Bay was just a dream.”
Hit like and subscribe to my YouTube Channel ‘The Paul Bretl Show’ for more Packers coverage.
So what was it about Green Bay that led Williams to know he wanted to be here?
Williams was one of five Packers’ draft picks who visited Green Bay during the pre-draft process on an official visit and with him being from a small town, the “small town type vibe” that the city of Green Bay has with how “tight-knit” the community is was something that fit well with Wiliams. The love from the fans caught Williams’ attention as well.
If that comfort with the area was one reason Williams wanted to end up in Green Bay, reason No. 2 is head coach Matt LaFleur and the Packers’ recent history.
“Like Matt LaFleur, man,” said Williams when asked why he wanted to be a Packer. “I mean, shoot, with him and Green Bay like, when I was a kid watching Aaron Rodgers, it’s a dream. Just playing–having a cheesehead. Being a cheesehead, man. I love being a cheesehead.”
As Gutekunst said after the NFL draft, Williams will fit Matt LaFleur’s offense to a T. Williams, of course, recognizes this as well and knows that his versatile, do-it-all skill set will be maximized in an offense such as LaFleur’s.
At 6-4 – 222 pounds and with 4.48 speed, Williams filled a variety of roles within the TCU offense. As someone who played quarterback growing up, Williams is comfortable with the ball in his hands.
Over the last two years, Williams had 147 targets during that span. In 2024, as the team’s wildcat quarterback, he carried the ball 51 times, averaging 6.3 yards per rush. Also important to playing the receiver position on LaFleur’s offense is that Williams is a willing blocker as well.
Within LaFleur’s malleable offensive system, there are a variety of ways to get Williams involved. We could see him sharing the backfield with Josh Jacobs in some two running back sets, like we saw last season with Chris Brooks. Williams could be used as a motion man, get the ball on jet sweeps, or on designed touches in space where his impressive YAC abilities–he averaged 7.0 yards after the catch in 2024–can be on display.
“Quickest impact?” Williams said to a question, “Just getting the ball in my hand quick. That’s probably it. But just anything I need. Doing everything I need.”
While what we just described was perhaps more so a gadget-type role, Williams is going to be a wide receiver in Green Bay. Gutekunst highlighted his ability to create separation on vertical routes, and as he has more time to focus solely on the receiver position, Gutekunst anticipates that Williams’ route-running abilities will become more polished.
Williams is joining a talented and competitive Packers’ wide receiver room, but the unique skill set he brings to the offense can help him stand out and carve out a role. But before any sort of role can be established, right now, it is about learning the playbook, which for Williams, can involve a lot of studying, as he mentioned, because there are potentially a variety of responsibilities he could end up having.
From there, whatever LaFleur and the offense needs from Williams, he’s ready to provide.
“Whatever my team need me to do, that’s what I’m going to do,” Williams said. “If coach tell me to get on tight end, I’m gonna play tight end. Get on the line, I’m going to play lineman. Whatever I need to do I’m going to do.”