It feels like every year there are a few “training camp darlings,” players who catch the eyes of coaches, media, and fans alike as they show glimpses of what could possibly be during the regular season.
Through the first few weeks of Jets camp, it’s clear that receiver Isaiah Williams is one of those players.
Williams is no stranger to his teammates or to fans. In fact, he was named the Jets’ team MVP in 2025 for his work as a returner. During his first season in New York, Williams had 396 punt return yards and two touchdowns, plus an additional 837 yards as a kick returner.
But the 25-year-old has been making his mark during this year’s camp as a receiving option, making his share of standout plays.
“Training camp’s been going great,” Williams said on Monday. “It’s been good to just every day go out there compete against our defense. Last week it was good to go out and compete against the Bucs, but it’s been good. For me, my main focus right now is just enduring myself to my teammates, making my teammates better every single day, and along the process getting better.”
Williams was targeted 36 times last season, making 26 grabs for 193 yards. But this year he’s been focus on the “little things,” like catching the ball, saying he and rookie Omar Cooper Jr. have been spending an hour or so after practice just working on catching the football.
An undrafted free agent out of Illinois, Williams bounced around with Detroit and Cincinnati during his first season before landing with the Jets in September 2025.
Along the way, Williams says he’s learned from receivers like Garrett Wilson, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Ja’Marr Chase, and Tee Higgins, and his goal this year is to be a reliable in option in whatever role is asked of him.
“I want to be a consistent player,” he said. “I want to be a guy who coaches can trust, my teammates can trust. They know what they’re going to get out of me play in and play out.”
At 5-foot-10, 185 pounds, Williams doesn’t have prototypical size for an NFL receiver, but he plans on making the most of every opportunity that comes his way. Time will tell whether those chances come primarily on special teams or on offense, but it’s clear that Williams is taking everything in stride.
“When I was younger, I used to focus so much about what people thought about me and the box they put me in. But now as I get older, I let God take care of all of that,” he said. “Whatever role I have on the team, whether that’s punt return, whether that’s receiver, whether that’s go block a punt, whatever it is, I want to do all I can for that. I feel like as you do that, as guys see that you’re dependable, that they trust you, more is gonna come.”