Jafar Williams, a veteran coach with more than two decades of experience coaching wide receivers and running backs – primarily at the Power Four level – joined Georgia Tech’s staff in 2026 as wide receivers coach.
Williams came to Georgia Tech from Vanderbilt, where he spent two seasons as assistant wide receivers coach, helping lead the Commodores to 17 wins and the most prolific passing output in school history in 2025.
Williams’ experience also includes stints as wide receivers coach at Temple, where he also served as passing game coordinator from 2023-23, Virginia Tech (2019-21), Rutgers (2016-17), Howard (2009), Illinois State (2007-08) and Moravian (2005-06). He also coached running backs at Maryland (2018), Purdue (2013-15) and Kent State (2011-12) and spent one season as a special teams quality-control coach at Northwestern (2010).
In addition to coaching in the ACC at Virginia Tech, Williams also played in the league as a wide receiver at Maryland from 1999-2002. He graduated from Maryland in 2003 with a B.S. in health and human performance.
Williams has a son, Nylan.
| THE JAFAR WILLIAMS FILE | ||
| PERSONAL | ||
| Hometown | Philadelphia, Pa. | |
| Alma Mater | Maryland, 2003 (B.S. – health and human performance) | |
| Family | Son: Nylan | |
| PLAYING EXPERIENCE | ||
| 1999-2002 | Maryland (WR) | |
| COACHING EXPERIENCE | ||
| 2005-06 | Moravian | Wide receivers |
| 2007-08 | Illinois State | Wide receivers |
| 2009 | Howard | Wide receivers |
| 2010 | Northwestern | Special teams quality control |
| 2011-12 | Kent State | Running backs |
| 2013-15 | Purdue | Running backs |
| 2016-17 | Rutgers | Wide receivers |
| 2018 | Maryland | Running backs |
| 2019-21 | Virginia Tech | Wide receivers |
| 2022-23 | Temple | Pass game coordinator/wide receivers |
| 2024-25 | Vanderbilt | Assistant wide receivers |
| 2026 | Georgia Tech | Wide receivers |
| CAREER HIGHLIGHTS | ||
| 2001 | Maryland | ACC champion, Orange Bowl, No. 10 final national ranking |
| 2002 | Maryland | Peach Bowl champion, No. 13 final national ranking |
| 2010 | Northwestern | Ticket City Bowl |
| 2012 | Kent State | MAC East champion, GoDaddy.com Bowl |
| 2019 | Virginia Tech | Belk Bowl |
| 2021 | Virginia Tech | Pinstripe Bowl |
| 2024 | Vanderbilt | Birmingham Bowl champion |
| 2025 | Vanderbilt | Reliaquest Bowl, No. 15 final national ranking |
FULL BIOGRAPHY
Jafar Williams, a veteran coach with more than two decades of experience coaching wide receivers and running backs – primarily at the Power Four level – joined Georgia Tech’s staff in 2026 as wide receivers coach.
Williams came to Georgia Tech from Vanderbilt, where he spent two seasons as assistant wide receivers coach, helping lead the Commodores to 17 wins and the most prolific passing output in school history in 2025. Vanderbilt ranked ninth nationally in passing yards per game in ’25 (287.5 ypg) and its wideouts combined for 148 receptions for 2,154 yards and 19 touchdowns.
Williams’ experience also includes stints as wide receivers coach at Temple, where he also served as passing game coordinator from 2023-23, Virginia Tech (2019-21), Rutgers (2016-17), Howard (2009), Illinois State (2007-08) and Moravian (2005-06). He also coached running backs at Maryland (2018), Purdue (2013-15) and Kent State (2011-12) and spent one season as a special teams quality-control coach at Northwestern (2010).
Some of his career highlights include:
- coaching two of the top 20 receivers in Temple history in Jose Barbon and Amad Anderson;
- having three all-ACC wideouts in three seasons at Virginia Tech (Tre Turner, Tayvion Robinson and Damon Hazelton);
- coaching running backs that set freshman rushing records at Maryland (Anthony McFarland – 1,034 yards in 2018) and Purdue (Markell Jones – 875 yards in 2015);
- seeing WR Juwuan Harris lead the Big Ten in receptions (39) and receiving yards (481) at Rutgers in 2016;
- and coaching one of the best one-two RB punches in the nation at Kent State in 2012, when Dri Archer and Traylon Durham combined for 2,745 yards and 30 touchdowns, with Archer earning consensus all-America honors.
In addition to coaching in the ACC at Virginia Tech, Williams also played in the league as a wide receiver at Maryland from 1999-2002. He graduated from Maryland in 2003 with a B.S. in health and human performance.
A Philadelphia native and all-city selection and team captain at George Washington H.S., Williams has a son, Nylan.