D'haquille Williams' role: 'Get him the ball'

AUBURN – No matter where D'haquille Williams lines up, the mission will be the same – find him.

"Duke's role is get him the ball," Auburn offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee said. "He's a playmaker."

The top junior college prospect in the nation in last year's recruiting class, Williams has settled in on the inside Y receiver role for Auburn, but will work outside as a flanker as well, opposite Sammie Coates.

"We have moved (Williams) around some," Lashlee said. "In a two-receiver set or a three-receiver set or a four-receiver set, where he's at could look different."

Williams, who has not been available for interviews, gives Auburn's quarterbacks another big target to aim for. The 6-foot-2 216 pound LaPlace, Louisiana native had five catches for 88 yards and a touchdown on A-Day, giving fans an idea of what could be in store this fall.

"He's going to move around. Everybody's moving around," Coates said. "You can't just lock in on that guy playing the inside because you don't know if he's going to play inside the next play. The way we move around, it's kind of hard to pick out who you're going to cover and try to double-team."

Even without the ball, Williams has been making his presence felt on the practice field.

"He's a guy who needs the ball and plays well with the ball, but the thing I have been most impressed about with Duke is we really ask a lot of our receivers outside of catching footballs," Lashlee said. "We really pride ourselves in blocking well for other receivers and for backs and Nick (Marshall). We ask them to do a lot of things without the ball and he's been exceptional like the other guys in that area."

Coates worked exclusively as a split end last season and hauled in 42 receptions for 902 yards and seven touchdowns. With Williams around to keep defenses honest, Coates is looking forward to the possibilities

"He's catching everything, he's running good routes. He's one of the guys you have to watch out for," Coates said. "It's going to be hard to double team anybody on our team. We have a lot of threats everywhere."