Jafar Williams

Jafar Williams joined the Vanderbilt football staff in 2024 as assistant wide receivers coach. Williams comes to Nashville after spending the last two seasons as wide receivers coach and passing game coordinator at Temple.

Williams brings a depth of experience on the offensive side of the ball, with previous stints including Virginia Tech, Maryland, Rutgers, Purdue, Kent State and Northwestern.

With the Owls, Williams mentored Jose Barbon to a 71-catch, 910-yard season in 2023, helping him finish among the top 15 in career receiving yards at TU. In 2023, Amad Anderson moved into the school’s top 20 in both receptions and receiving yards.

Prior to Temple, Williams spent three seasons as wide receivers coach at Virginia Tech. He helped Tre Turner, Tayvion Robinson and Damon Hazelton each earn All-ACC honors.

In 2018, Williams served as running backs coach at his alma mater, Maryland. Backs Anthony McFarland and Ty Johnson were one of the top duos in the Big Ten, ranking second and third in the league in yards per carry. McFarland set the Maryland freshman rushing record with 1,034 yards on the year.

Williams was at Rutgers for two seasons as receivers coach from 2016-17. During the 2016 season, Jawuan Harris led all Big Ten freshmen with 39 catches for 481 yards.

From 2011-15, Williams was running backs coach for head coach Darrell Hazell, first at Kent State (2011-12), then Purdue (2013-15). With the Boilermakrers, Markell Jones set the school’s freshman rushing record with 875 yards while his 10 rushing touchdowns led the team.

At Kent State, Williams helped the Golden Flashes to the 2012 Mid-American Conference East Division title. Dri Archer and Traylon Durham provided one of the best one-two punches in the country, combining for 2,745 yards and 30 touchdowns. Archer earned consensus All-America honors and the team ranked 18th nationally in rushing offense.

Williams spent one season at Northwestern as special teams quality control and one year as wide receivers coach at Howard. Those stops were preceded by a two-year stint as wide receivers coach at Illinois State and one year coaching receivers at Moravian College in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

In his playing days for the Terrapins, Williams made 90 catches for 1,301 yards and seven touchdowns. The highlight was a 64-yard touchdown in the 2002 Orange Bowl. His 20.07 yards per catch in 2002 remain the third-best single-season mark in school history.

The Philadelphia native was an all-city selection at George Washington High School, where he served as team captain his senior year.

Williams graduated from Maryland in 2003 and has one son, Nylan.