OMAHA, Neb. — A steady stream of handoffs, routes and instruction filled the turf at Millard South as the fifth annual Gorilla Wideouts Camp brought NFL-level coaching to young receivers on July 11. The event, organized by New Orleans Saints wide receivers coach Keith Williams, returned to Nebraska with a lineup that included former Husker wideout Trey Palmer and other recent NFL draftees.
Local roots draw pros back
Williams, who coached at Nebraska from 2015 to 2017, said he keeps coming home because of longstanding relationships across Omaha and Lincoln. The camp has become an annual stop where professional players and college alumni work hands-on with area youth, blending technique sessions with messages about hard work and community.
“I met a lot of great people in Nebraska, particularly here in Omaha and Lincoln, but I’ve always had love for Lincoln and love for Nebraska itself,” Williams said.
For Williams, the payoff is not only coaching fundamentals but also handing back something to towns that helped shape players’ early careers. He said bringing members of his Saints receiver room and others he knows around the league makes the event more meaningful for the kids and instructive for the pros.
Players return to give back
Former Nebraska receiver Trey Palmer, who set the Huskers’ single-season receiving yards mark during his breakout 2022 season, was among those on the field. He described the trip as a homecoming and framed the day as an opportunity to repay the same kind of help he received as a youngster.
“It was a no doubt,” Palmer said of his decision to participate. “I knew he had a camp because I had heard about it, but it was a no doubt that I was coming back to Nebraska, to GBR. This is like a home to me. It’s just a blessing to be out here and give back to the kids because once they was me going to camps.”
Also on hand were newly drafted players including former Iowa cornerback TJ Hall, selected in the seventh round by the Saints this year, and wide receiver draft pick Bryce Lance, a fourth-round selection. Hall said the camp was an organic extension of conversations among teammates during the offseason.
“Whenever you can give back to the kids or anybody, it’s an awesome thing and it’s a blessing that we’re able to even be out here,” Hall said, describing the decision to travel to Nebraska to coach.
Instruction and inspiration
Camp sessions combined technical instruction — footwork, route stems, catching mechanics — with teaching moments about teamwork and dedication. Williams described the experience as gratifying both for returning pros and for young players who get first-hand exposure to current NFL standards.
Participants ranged in age and skill level, and coaches tailored drills to challenge those ready to advance while keeping beginners engaged. Parents and local coaches noted the value of seeing pros up close and learning concrete drills they could replicate at home or in youth leagues.
| Guest coach | Affiliation |
|---|---|
| Trey Palmer | Former Nebraska receiver; NFL player |
| TJ Hall | Former Iowa cornerback; Saints draftee |
| Bryce Lance | Fourth-round NFL draft pick, wide receiver |
- Event: Gorilla Wideouts Camp (fifth annual)
- Date: July 11
- Location: Millard South, Omaha
Coaches emphasized that the camp’s effects can ripple beyond one weekend. Young athletes who pick up a technique or gain confidence may carry that forward into school teams and community leagues.
For Nebraska, the clinic also reinforced long-standing ties between the state’s football culture and the professional ranks. Players who leave for the NFL frequently return for camps, speaking at appearances and staying engaged with youth programs. That continuity is part of the draw for Williams and others who invest their time.
Organizers said they plan to continue the camp model, keeping the focus on position-specific development and community engagement. For a state where football is a touchstone for many families, events like the Gorilla Wideouts Camp offer a chance for kids to learn from those who have walked the same fields and made the jump to higher levels of play.
This year’s clinic, with its mix of local ties and pro instruction, was another example of that cycle: athletes returning to teach the next generation how to run routes, catch under pressure and, perhaps most importantly, to work.
