As Pat Narduzzi begins his twelfth year guiding the Pittsburgh Panthers football program, a former player publicly called out his ex-head coach late Saturday night. The former athlete accused Narduzzi of damaging his personal reputation.
Raphael “Poppi” Williams Jr., who previously played wide receiver for the Panthers, posted an image of an official scouting assessment compiled for NFL franchises ahead of the draft.
“I have wrestled with the decision to share this for several months, but I needed to get it off my chest. It is deeply painful to realize that my own alma mater and head coach ruined my reputation by spreading falsehoods to NFL organizations,” Williams wrote to begin his message on X (the platform formerly called Twitter).
Details Discovered in the Post by Raphael “Poppi” Williams Jr.
According to Williams, the draft evaluation characterized him as possessing “below average personal character,” describing him as “super cocky,” “entitled,” and outright calling him a “jerk.” Additionally, the document alleged that he showed disrespect toward female members of the athletic staff.
However, the wide receiver, who hails from Fort Lauderdale, strongly disputed these claims in his social media update.
“My only focus was giving maximum effort and serving as an exemplary leader for my teammates,” Williams asserted. “My failure to receive a genuine opportunity in the NFL wasn’t due to my on-field performance, but because of these alleged ‘character issues.’ I have never possessed such problems, which can be verified by my fellow players, coaches, and others.”
He continued his self-defense, adding: “I injected positive energy and enthusiasm into this program. I demand explanations, and I have the evidence to back it up.”
The full draft assessment referenced by Williams is available for viewing here.
Former Panthers Receiver References Previous Post by Pat Narduzzi
To make his point, Williams attached his screenshot as a quote-repost responding to an earlier message Narduzzi published on April 26.
“Poppi Williams was an exceptionally skilled, efficient, and dependable competitor for our team. He is fully recovered and prepared to perform! He is an outstanding young person of high integrity who will dedicate himself completely to earning a roster spot! Any NFL franchise that offers him an opportunity will be highly fortunate,” Narduzzi had written on X following the conclusion of the draft.
However, Williams exposes a starkly contrasting pre-draft ordeal that he faced after departing from the Pittsburgh program.
“It is unbelievable how difficult it seemed for them to utter a single positive remark about someone who was a two-year starter for the team,” Williams expressed. “I was never tardy for any obligation, nor did I ever treat anyone with disrespect.”
Throughout Saturday, he engaged with social media users who doubted that Narduzzi was responsible for the negative feedback in the evaluation, countering their skepticism by posting additional screenshot evidence.
Over his collegiate career, the 5-foot-10 wideout accumulated 208 receptions, totaling 2,744 receiving yards and finding the end zone 28 times. He began his college journey at Western Carolina, where he put up a standout 2021 season with 73 receptions for 959 yards and nine scores. Later, he transferred to San Diego State in 2023 while they competed in the Mountain West, though he did not see any game action there.
During his final campaign with Pittsburgh, he recorded 51 receptions for 701 yards and scored seven touchdowns. Meanwhile, the Panthers saw defender Kyle Louis selected in the fourth round of the draft, going 138th overall to the Miami Dolphins.
