Jameson Williams has already proven he can terrify an NFL secondary.
One false step, one missed angle, one safety caught leaning the wrong way, and the Detroit Lions wide receiver can turn a routine completion into six points.
Steve Smith Sr. believes the next step is more complicated.
The former NFL star and current NFL Network analyst recently praised Williams’ rare explosiveness while questioning whether Detroit’s fifth-year receiver has developed the complete route-running package expected from a traditional No. 1 option.
Smith Sees Williams as a Specialized No. 1 Receiver
During an episode of the 89 with Steve Smith and James Palmer YouTube show, Smith explained that Williams’ speed naturally changes the structure of a defense.
“I think Jamo is a design deep-burner. He (has) such world-class speed. He naturally opens up everything under the sun. Is he a true No. 1? It depends on what category you put him in,” Smith said on a recent episode of the “89 with Steve Smith and James Palmer” YouTube show (quoted by Lions OnSI). “Let’s sit back and go down this road when I say a true No. 1. When I look at Justin Jefferson, there is no route on his route tree (he can’t run), he actually has branches on his route tree that don’t exist for everyone else.”
That is a meaningful distinction.
Smith is not arguing that Williams lacks No. 1 talent. He is questioning whether Williams can win in enough different ways to fit the broadest definition of a top receiver.
Some stars dominate with precision. Others overwhelm defenses with size or strength. Williams changes games with acceleration that few defensive backs can match.
Smith’s point is that elite speed does not automatically equal a complete route tree.
Jameson Williams Still Has Room to Grow
Smith continued by referencing what Williams showed when Amon-Ra St. Brown was unavailable.
“Jamo showed when (Amon-Ra) St. Brown went out that he is a hell of a football player, but he is not a refined, pure, excellent route runner unless you take half of the route tree away from him. He is a true No. 1 with a limited route tree.”
That evaluation may sound harsh, but it also leaves plenty of room for optimism.
Williams has already demonstrated that he can handle a larger offensive role. He is no longer viewed strictly as a field-stretching decoy who occasionally receives a deep target. Detroit has found ways to get him the football on intermediate throws, quick passes and manufactured touches.
The question is whether he can become consistently dangerous on routes that depend more on timing, leverage and footwork than raw speed.
Can he separate on an option route when the defense takes away the deep ball? Can he win repeatedly near the sideline? Can he force cornerbacks to respect the entire field instead of protecting against one defining trait?
Those are the details Smith appears to be watching.
Amon-Ra St. Brown and Williams Remain a Dangerous Pair
Detroit’s receiving duo was enormously productive in 2025.
St. Brown and Williams combined for 2,518 receiving yards. St. Brown led the Lions with 117 catches and 1,401 yards, while Williams provided the explosive element that forces defenses to defend every blade of grass.
Even with those numbers, Smith stopped short of placing the pair among the NFL’s five best receiving duos.
“Here’s why they don’t rank (in the) top five: Because Jamo’s still working,” Smith expressed. “Here’s the thing: If you remove Jamo’s speed, is he better than (Cincinnati Bengals WR) Tee Higgins?”
That comparison gets to the center of Smith’s argument.
Higgins brings size, contested-catch ability and a polished all-around receiving profile. Williams brings game-breaking speed and a different kind of stress.
Removing Williams’ best trait is a strange exercise because speed is central to what makes him special. Still, Smith is testing whether Williams’ remaining skills hold up against other top receivers when the explosive advantage is taken out of the equation.
Smith Compares Williams to Jaylen Waddle
Smith also placed Williams in a similar category to Denver Broncos receiver Jaylen Waddle.
Smith added, “I know this probably isn’t going to go well with people in the comments, but I see Jamo and (Denver Broncos WR Jaylen) Waddle kind of being the same player. So, that’s a push for me.”
The comparison makes sense stylistically.
Both receivers can erase cushion quickly. Both threaten defenses vertically. Both can turn short completions into long gains once they reach open space.
The challenge for Williams is becoming less predictable without losing what already makes him dangerous.
Detroit does not need him to become Justin Jefferson. The Lions already have St. Brown as the dependable chain mover and high-volume target in the middle of the field.
They do need Williams to keep evolving.
Detroit’s Offense Benefits Even Before Williams Gets the Ball
One part of Williams’ game can be difficult to measure.
His speed affects defenders even when Jared Goff never looks his way.
Safeties stay deeper. Cornerbacks give extra cushion. Linebackers gain more room to defend because defensive backs are worried about what is happening behind them.
That creates opportunities for St. Brown, Sam LaPorta and Detroit’s running backs.
Williams can influence a game without finishing with double-digit catches. Few receivers carry that kind of gravity.
Smith’s criticism does not erase that value. It highlights the gap between being one of the league’s most dangerous weapons and becoming one of its most complete receivers.
Bottom Line
Steve Smith Sr. sees Jameson Williams as a legitimate No. 1 talent with a route tree that still needs refinement.
That is not a dismissal of Williams. It is a challenge.
Williams already owns one of the rarest traits in football. His speed can wreck a coverage plan in seconds. If he continues sharpening the technical parts of his game, Detroit could have much more than an explosive receiver.
The Lions could have a player defenses cannot solve.
