Is Oakland Raiders Wide Receiver Austin Willis the Next Wes Welker?

No one knows it yet, but it’s possible the Oakland Raiders signed the next Wes Welker disguised as a fringe player scraping to secure a roster spot.

Yes, you’ve heard of Oakland's No. 4 pick in the 2015 draft, Amari Cooper, the highly touted and talented wide receiver out of Alabama. Let’s dig beyond the sand and gravel to uncover a true diamond in the rough.

Kick Return Ability and Opportunity

Who is Austin Willis?

Willis is exactly who Welker was upon breaking into the league, and he’s going to follow the same route to garner respect from Raider Nation and his opponents. 

Doug Benc/Getty Images

In 2004, when Welker broke into the league, Larry Fitzgerald (6’3”), Roy Williams (6’3”) and Reggie Williams (6’3”) were top-10 overall picks. Drafting and starting bigger receivers kept average smaller-framed receivers like the 5'9" Welker confined to special teams duties.

Welker exclusively returned kicks and punts for the Miami Dolphins in 2004 after the San Diego Chargers released him. Welker was a major factor on special teams before he became known as the human slot machine in reference to his ability to rack up chunks of yards out of the slot position. 

The Raiders are stacked at wide receiver, and it’s evident to Willis that hard work and dedication to the small duties yield bigger opportunities. He’s certainly no stranger to working his way up from the bottom, per SilverandBlackPride.com writer Levi Damien:

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He came to Emporia State on a track scholarship. That was how he got his foot in the door to set his sights on his real ambition of playing football.

After making the team, he then had to pay his dues. His first season the undersized athlete played mostly on special teams, catching just one pass on offense. From there he continued to work on his craft and earn a role on the offense.

It's kind of tough those first couple of years proving yourself and climbing the ladder, but just like anything else, if you're patient good things will happen," Willis told the Emporia Gazette following his invitation to Raiders rookie minicamp. "Coach Higgins gave me opportunities here and I took advantage of those. I plan on doing the same thing again out there in Oakland.

"

The Raiders have a glaring need at kick and punt returner, and though Willis transitioned into a productive wide receiver, he played through humble beginnings on special teams:

The video is a snippet of his elusiveness as a kick returner, but his full body of work already has some writers buzzing about his potential fit in Oakland:

Damien concurs with the high possibility of Willis making the Raiders roster on special teams:

"The Raiders have a great deal of competition at the wide receiver position in this year's camp. The Raiders are looking for someone to step up as a kick returner, which is something Willis can provide. That could be his key to carving out a roster spot."

Willis’ clear path into the NFL is eerily similar to Welker’s; both players entered the league with solid receiving skills, but it’s their return ability that proves the most valuable asset in earning a chance on the professional level.

Underrated Receiving Skills

Speaking of those solid receiving skills, both players excelled in their junior and senior seasons. Although Willis came from Emporia State, a Division II school, he showed immense talent as a receiver with great hands, speed and field awareness.

Willis was impressive during rookie minicamp in the offseason, per Damien:

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Seeing him in rookie mini camp, my first thought was that he doesn't have the stature or bulk one usually expects from an NFL player. Then watching him, his effortless speed and overall athleticism quickly become apparent. In limited viewing, he showed very clean and developed technique as a receiver.

"

That assessment might have been used to describe Welker as he broke into NFL camps over a decade ago, but numbers don’t lie:

Player	Receptions	Yards	Yards Per Reception	Touchdowns
Wes Welker	183	2153	11.7	16
Austin Willis	101	1668	16.5	16

Jared Wickerham/Getty Images

As Welker’s story continues, the New England Patriots sent a 2007 second- and seventh-round pick to the Dolphins in exchange for the underrated wide receiver and return specialist. 

The Patriots defenders struggled against Welker’s shifty pass routes and sure hands so much that they brought him aboard primarily as a wide receiver. His involvement in special teams greatly diminished—partially because he burned teams week after week in the slot, leading the league in receptions in 2007, 2009 and 2011.

Willis isn’t going to come in and set records, but it also took Welker four years to break out as a premier receiver. Cooper is the only wide receiver entrenched in Oakland’s long-term plans, per Spotrac.com. Michael Crabtree, Rod Streater and Andre Holmes are in contract years. The rest of the wide receiver corps, though talented, is still unproven.

Eric Risberg/Associated Press

If Willis can secure a spot on special teams, it gives him a long-term outlook as a starter on the roster. Though it’s a minimal role, it increases his chances of earning the trust of the coaching staff and expanding his responsibilities on offense—very Welker-esque.

I know what you’re thinking.

How does this undersized receiver break into a strong Raiders wide receiver stable and make a difference in a league where big receivers lead the box scores?

Well, if you told me a decade ago that Welker, an undersized receiver, would set the record for most receptions by an undrafted free agent, per Denver Post writers Mike Klis, Troy Renck and Irv Moss, while becoming one of the best slot receivers in the game, I'd reply, "Yeah, right," loaded with sarcasm. No one saw that coming from Welker, but here we are celebrating his greatness a decade later. 

Willis said it best, per Damien: "I've been saying this whole time is that all I've needed is one opportunity and one team to take a look at me. I'm getting that chance and I'm planning on taking full advantage of my opportunity."

When talent, circumstance and opportunity coincide, it usually works out for the best. Raider Nation, say hello to the next Wes Welker.

What do you you think of Austin Willis? You can follow Maurice Moton on Twitter and give your input!

Statistics provided by Pro-Football-Reference.com, Sports-reference.com and Esuhornets.com.

Player Measurements courtesy of NFL.com.