E.J. Williams Jr. college timeline: How Indiana's 24-year-old WR played with Trevor Lawrence

Jake Mozarsky

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E.J. Williams Jr. college timeline: How Indiana's 24-year-old WR played with Trevor Lawrence image

When E.J. Williams hauled in a 33-yard touchdown pass from Trevor Lawrence in the 2020 ACC Championship Game, he looked like the next great superstar in Clemson’s receiver factory. It was a breakout moment for a true freshman on a stage shared with future NFL icons like Travis Etienne and Lawrence — a night that seemed to signal the start of a brief, three-year sprint to a first-round draft grade.

But college football is rarely a straight line, and for Williams, the path from Lawrence’s favorite young target to a centerpiece of the 2026 Indiana Hoosiers became a five-year odyssey defined by patience and persistence.

While his former quarterback has already spent years as the face of the Jacksonville Jaguars, Williams reached his peak in Bloomington. After battling through three injury-plagued seasons at Clemson and navigating a coaching change at Indiana, the veteran wideout finally rediscovered the magic that once flickered in Charlotte, trading the orange and white of a powerhouse for the cream and crimson of a Cinderella story.

Here’s more on Williams’ collegiate journey.

MORE: Fernando Mendoza college timeline

How old is E.J. Williams Jr.?

Williams Jr. Is 24 years old.

He was born on November 14, 2001, in Phenix City, Alabama. His "long" college career is a result of several factors allowed under NCAA rules, including granting all athletes an extra year of eligibility because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

He started at Clemson in 2020 and now is in his final year of college at Indiana.

MORE: Why did Fernando Mendoza transfer to Indiana?

How old is Trevor Lawrence?

Lawrence is 26 years old. He was born on October 6, 1999, in Knoxville, Tennessee.

The age gap between Lawrence and his former Clemson teammate is only about two years (Lawrence is the elder). However, because Lawrence was a "true junior" when he entered the NFL Draft in 2021 and has played five full professional seasons, while Williams utilized a COVID year and a redshirt to stay in college through 2026, their career timelines feel decades apart.

To put that 2020 ACC Championship into perspective:

  • In 2020: Trevor Lawrence was a 21-year-old college superstar; E.J. Williams was a 19-year-old true freshman.
  • In 2026: Trevor Lawrence is a 26-year-old NFL veteran with 17,000+ passing yards; E.J. Williams is in his final year of college.

MORE: Why are both Clemson and LSU called Death Valley?

E.J. Williams Clemson stats

Williams Jr. Arrived at Clemson as a highly touted four-star recruit and immediately flashed the talent that had scouts comparing him to former Tiger greats. While his production later dipped due to nagging injuries, his freshman season remains a highlight.

YearGamesReceptionsYardsAverageTDs
2020122430612.82
202189667.30
20221377010.00
Totals334044211.12

E.J. Williams college eligibility

Williams' unusually long career (2020–2026) was made possible by a combination of NCAA rules and a decision to sit out most of the 2024 season.

Williams began his career as a true freshman at Clemson in 2020. Because of the pandemic, the NCAA granted all fall athletes an extra year of eligibility that did not count against their four-season limit. While he battled significant injuries in 2021 and 2022 at Clemson, he did not need to apply for an additional "medical hardship" waiver because the COVID year.

After playing only four games for Indiana in 2024, Williams elected to undergo surgery for a nagging injury. Under NCAA rules, a player can participate in up to four games and still claim a "redshirt" season. Although this caused a brief rift with the coaching staff and a short stint in the transfer portal, he eventually returned to the Hoosiers to use this "preserved" season in 2025.

MORE: Curt Cignetti's best quotes at Indiana

E.J. Williams college timeline

Clemson (2020-2022)

Williams' freshman season was his most productive at Clemson, and Williams saved his best performances for the biggest stages. In the ACC Championship against Notre Dame, he recorded career highs with four catches for 80 yards, including a spectacular 33-yard touchdown catch from Lawrence and a viral one-handed grab that made national highlight reels. He followed that up in the Sugar Bowl against Ohio State with five receptions for 45 yards in the College Football Playoff semifinal.

Following that stellar freshman campaign, Williams' career at Clemson was derailed by health issues. He missed most of the 2021 spring practice and several games that fall with a recurring knee injury that eventually required arthroscopic surgery. He also dealt with a hematoma in his leg and various other setbacks that limited his snaps under quarterbacks D.J. Uiagalelei and Cade Klubnik before he ultimately entered the transfer portal in December 2022.

Indiana (2023-2026)

Williams transferred to Indiana in 2023 seeking a fresh start. He showed flashes of his freshman form, recording 23 catches for 281 yards, but once again missed four games due to a hand injury sustained in Week 2.

Then came the Curt Cignetti era in Bloomington in 2024. Williams struggled with a hamstring injury and played only four games. In October, he briefly entered the transfer portal, but after discussions with Cignetti, he "de-portaled" and elected to take a redshirt to preserve his final year of eligibility for a healthy 2025 run.

Finally healthy, Williams enjoyed a his best season in 2025. He became a go-to target for QB Fernando Mendoza, recording career highs with over 35 receptions and 6 touchdowns. He was a vital piece of Indiana's historic run, highlighted by a 109-yard, 2-touchdown performance against UCLA in October.

MORE: Curt Cignetti coaching timeline

News Correspondent