MacMahon: Dallas considering signing Ryan Williams
- Thread starter boozeman
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Kind of dumb and homerish of me to like the pickup, but if you look back at his college scouting reports, there is a lot to like and if he's anywhere close to being back and healthy, he brings some things to the table that none of our other reserves do:
Summary
Ryan Williams is among this class’ most gifted ball carriers, but the difference between his 2009 and 2010 campaigns is night & day. As a redshirt freshman, he was one of the nation’s premier backs, showing a rare combination of instincts, burst, agility, and power. His sophomore campaign was derailed by a nagging hamstring injury and the last tape we’ve seen from him looks very different from the player that many grew to love. The talent and innate feel for the game that he possesses still ranks him among the best backs in the class. Expect Williams to come off the board as early as the middle of the second and I don’t imagine he would last long in the third were he to make it there.
Inside Runner
Williams is an aggressive inside runner that lowers his shoulder and picks up yards between the tackles. In college he was an effective north-south runner with the ability to pick and slide. He shows patience at the line and has a lot of wiggle in the hole. In 2009, he proved himself to be an excellent cutback runner. He possesses tremendous vision, with the ability to find and fit through small creases. His burst and explosiveness allows him to turn ordinarily short gains into first downs. The competitiveness and confidence he has a runner is exemplified by an often violent, slashing running style.
Outside Runner
Though he had most of his success as an inside runner in college, Williams also exceled running outside the tackle box. When the middle of the field is congested, he shows the ability to slide, shift, and find room on the outside. He possesses the burst to turn the corner and changes gears effortlessly. In the open field, he can be a terror to bring down due to toughness and the ability to make defenders miss. He was much more successful running outside in 2009 when he was not hampered by a hamstring injury. Though he has enough explosiveness to break big runs, he is liable to be caught from behind due to a lack of breakaway speed.
Receiving
Despite being utilized as a receiver relatively infrequently at Virginia Tech, Williams looks to be a natural catcher with soft hands out of the backfield. He was unproductive as a receiver in college, with only 26 career receptions. When he did get the ball in his hands, however, he showed a lot of ability after the catch. It is likely that he will be featured more as a receiver out of the backfield at the next level.
Ryan Williams
Ball Security
In college, ball security was not a glaring issue for Williams, but he certainly was not perfect. He touched the ball over 400 times in 2009 & 2010 and wound up with five career fumbles. There is reason to believe this should be an emphasis in transitioning to the NFL game. Like Adrian Peterson, relentlessly fighting for extra yards has led to fumbles for him in the past.
Vision, Instincts & Awareness
This is the category in which Ryan Williams is an elite talent. He possesses terrific vision and does an excellent job finding holes & cutback lanes. At Virginia Tech, he showed tremendous running instincts and a rare ability to read what is happening in front of him. It appears he has an innate feel for the position and is among the best players in this class with the ball in his hands. A combination of vision and burst is very dangerous; in time, he could be among the most successful backs in the NFL.
Elusiveness/Tackle Breaking
Perhaps no back in this class is tougher to track in the open field than Williams is. He is very powerful, runs with a lot of confidence, and breaks a lot of tackles. In 2009, he bounced off of weak tackles and often ran straight through arm tackles. He shows the ability to string moves together at the second level and impresses with his agility & elusiveness. If there is a complaint, it is that he may run too aggressively at times and will have to do a better job in the NFL reducing direct hits.
Pass Blocking
If there is one glaring weakness in Williams’ game, it would be his pass blocking. I don’t mean to imply he is worthless as a blocker, but there is a lot of room for improvement. A big part of why he was redshirted as a freshman was to further develop as a pass blocker. In order to see the field on third downs in the NFL, he must prove the ability to block as well as catch.
Ryan Williams
Leg Drive
As a freshman, Williams displayed the ability to finish runs aggressively, often leaving defenders on their backs. He shows a great second effort and will never go down easily. In traffic, he keeps his feet moving and his legs churning, allowing him to pick up extra yardage or break free at times. He is a player that obviously enjoys contact and his violent running style is often fun to watch.
Schematic Fit
There are several schemes in which Williams could fit at the next level. His vision and burst make him a very intriguing option in a zone-blocking or stretch-zone system. Despite having the ability to hold up as a feature back, he could really excel if paired with a bigger back in a platoon. Though most teams should be satisfied with his ability as a receiver, some that emphasize the running back as part of the passing game may be turned off by his lack of experience out of the backfield in college.
Size, Speed, Strength & Agility
Though on paper, Williams may lack elite physical specs, he is an explosive athlete with physical tools that should allow him to succeed at the next level. He possesses a compact frame that appears perfect for the NFL. His speed is just average and he can be caught from behind in the open field. What he lacks in speed, he makes up for in burst and explosiveness. His acceleration ranks among the best in this running back class and his 40 inch vertical at the NFL Combine turned some heads. He is very agile, with quick feet and fluid hips. Strength and power is very evident in watching him play, but he may not be big enough to take pounding as a feature back.
Additional Information
A lack of durability may push Williams down the board on draft weekend. A nagging hamstring injury plagued his 2010 season as he wound up missing four games. In the games he did play, he appeared to lack the same burst, quickness, and power that we had seen the year before. Injuries will need to be considered when drafting him, as you don’t want to invest in the next Kenny Irons. He has excellent football character. Williams is very confident and competitive, always playing with a chip on his shoulder. He is mature and tested by hardship, as he has taken care of his brother (who has an intellectual disability) for most of his life. His intelligence is a question, but on the field he appears as smart as any back around. The potential is there for Ryan Williams to develop into an extremely successful, every-down back at the next level. If he is healthy, it is tough to say any back in this class has more upside. He could contribute early on at the next level, with the skill-set to rank among the league’s elite if he stays on the field. Expect him to make strides as a pass-catcher, as he seems to have a lot of untapped potential there. Teams will have to be careful, however, as he has an unusually violent running style for his size and a history of injury through his career. I fully expect Williams to be one of the best players to come out of this class if handled properly.
Production/Experience
2010: 10 games/5 starts – 110 car 477 yds 4.3 avg 9 Td; 10 rec 109 yds 1 Td
2009: 13 games/13 starts – 293 car 1,655 yds 5.6 avg 21 Td; 16 rec 180 yds 1 Td
2008: Redshirted
Academics
A Business major at Virginia Tech.
Awards & Honors
2009: ACC Rookie of the Year. First team All-ACC.
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Summary
Ryan Williams is among this class’ most gifted ball carriers, but the difference between his 2009 and 2010 campaigns is night & day. As a redshirt freshman, he was one of the nation’s premier backs, showing a rare combination of instincts, burst, agility, and power. His sophomore campaign was derailed by a nagging hamstring injury and the last tape we’ve seen from him looks very different from the player that many grew to love. The talent and innate feel for the game that he possesses still ranks him among the best backs in the class. Expect Williams to come off the board as early as the middle of the second and I don’t imagine he would last long in the third were he to make it there.
Inside Runner
Williams is an aggressive inside runner that lowers his shoulder and picks up yards between the tackles. In college he was an effective north-south runner with the ability to pick and slide. He shows patience at the line and has a lot of wiggle in the hole. In 2009, he proved himself to be an excellent cutback runner. He possesses tremendous vision, with the ability to find and fit through small creases. His burst and explosiveness allows him to turn ordinarily short gains into first downs. The competitiveness and confidence he has a runner is exemplified by an often violent, slashing running style.
Outside Runner
Though he had most of his success as an inside runner in college, Williams also exceled running outside the tackle box. When the middle of the field is congested, he shows the ability to slide, shift, and find room on the outside. He possesses the burst to turn the corner and changes gears effortlessly. In the open field, he can be a terror to bring down due to toughness and the ability to make defenders miss. He was much more successful running outside in 2009 when he was not hampered by a hamstring injury. Though he has enough explosiveness to break big runs, he is liable to be caught from behind due to a lack of breakaway speed.
Receiving
Despite being utilized as a receiver relatively infrequently at Virginia Tech, Williams looks to be a natural catcher with soft hands out of the backfield. He was unproductive as a receiver in college, with only 26 career receptions. When he did get the ball in his hands, however, he showed a lot of ability after the catch. It is likely that he will be featured more as a receiver out of the backfield at the next level.
Ryan Williams
Ball Security
In college, ball security was not a glaring issue for Williams, but he certainly was not perfect. He touched the ball over 400 times in 2009 & 2010 and wound up with five career fumbles. There is reason to believe this should be an emphasis in transitioning to the NFL game. Like Adrian Peterson, relentlessly fighting for extra yards has led to fumbles for him in the past.
Vision, Instincts & Awareness
This is the category in which Ryan Williams is an elite talent. He possesses terrific vision and does an excellent job finding holes & cutback lanes. At Virginia Tech, he showed tremendous running instincts and a rare ability to read what is happening in front of him. It appears he has an innate feel for the position and is among the best players in this class with the ball in his hands. A combination of vision and burst is very dangerous; in time, he could be among the most successful backs in the NFL.
Elusiveness/Tackle Breaking
Perhaps no back in this class is tougher to track in the open field than Williams is. He is very powerful, runs with a lot of confidence, and breaks a lot of tackles. In 2009, he bounced off of weak tackles and often ran straight through arm tackles. He shows the ability to string moves together at the second level and impresses with his agility & elusiveness. If there is a complaint, it is that he may run too aggressively at times and will have to do a better job in the NFL reducing direct hits.
Pass Blocking
If there is one glaring weakness in Williams’ game, it would be his pass blocking. I don’t mean to imply he is worthless as a blocker, but there is a lot of room for improvement. A big part of why he was redshirted as a freshman was to further develop as a pass blocker. In order to see the field on third downs in the NFL, he must prove the ability to block as well as catch.
Ryan Williams
Leg Drive
As a freshman, Williams displayed the ability to finish runs aggressively, often leaving defenders on their backs. He shows a great second effort and will never go down easily. In traffic, he keeps his feet moving and his legs churning, allowing him to pick up extra yardage or break free at times. He is a player that obviously enjoys contact and his violent running style is often fun to watch.
Schematic Fit
There are several schemes in which Williams could fit at the next level. His vision and burst make him a very intriguing option in a zone-blocking or stretch-zone system. Despite having the ability to hold up as a feature back, he could really excel if paired with a bigger back in a platoon. Though most teams should be satisfied with his ability as a receiver, some that emphasize the running back as part of the passing game may be turned off by his lack of experience out of the backfield in college.
Size, Speed, Strength & Agility
Though on paper, Williams may lack elite physical specs, he is an explosive athlete with physical tools that should allow him to succeed at the next level. He possesses a compact frame that appears perfect for the NFL. His speed is just average and he can be caught from behind in the open field. What he lacks in speed, he makes up for in burst and explosiveness. His acceleration ranks among the best in this running back class and his 40 inch vertical at the NFL Combine turned some heads. He is very agile, with quick feet and fluid hips. Strength and power is very evident in watching him play, but he may not be big enough to take pounding as a feature back.
Additional Information
A lack of durability may push Williams down the board on draft weekend. A nagging hamstring injury plagued his 2010 season as he wound up missing four games. In the games he did play, he appeared to lack the same burst, quickness, and power that we had seen the year before. Injuries will need to be considered when drafting him, as you don’t want to invest in the next Kenny Irons. He has excellent football character. Williams is very confident and competitive, always playing with a chip on his shoulder. He is mature and tested by hardship, as he has taken care of his brother (who has an intellectual disability) for most of his life. His intelligence is a question, but on the field he appears as smart as any back around. The potential is there for Ryan Williams to develop into an extremely successful, every-down back at the next level. If he is healthy, it is tough to say any back in this class has more upside. He could contribute early on at the next level, with the skill-set to rank among the league’s elite if he stays on the field. Expect him to make strides as a pass-catcher, as he seems to have a lot of untapped potential there. Teams will have to be careful, however, as he has an unusually violent running style for his size and a history of injury through his career. I fully expect Williams to be one of the best players to come out of this class if handled properly.
Production/Experience
2010: 10 games/5 starts – 110 car 477 yds 4.3 avg 9 Td; 10 rec 109 yds 1 Td
2009: 13 games/13 starts – 293 car 1,655 yds 5.6 avg 21 Td; 16 rec 180 yds 1 Td
2008: Redshirted
Academics
A Business major at Virginia Tech.
Awards & Honors
2009: ACC Rookie of the Year. First team All-ACC.
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So such thing anymore. And to use the term "feature back" in a Garrett offense is pretty funny.
Smitty
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I mean a guy who can carry it as much as we give it to Murray. Dunbar can't hold up and Randle might suck, so this could be a good option.
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There is no "might" about Randle.
jsmith6919
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jsmith6919
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Really hoping we don't keep Randle just because he was drafted, I'd like to see Malena & Williams stick
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Gives you the best options if Williams is healthy.
Dunbar can be your fake pretend Sproles. Malena is the short tough back with a little scoot and Williams is more well rounded and inside runner who can break tackles.
I have no idea what Randle brings to the table that these guys don't other than the fact Jerry has talked about him a lot and he's played a little more, albeit ineffectively.
jsmith6919
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Iirc Randle was a Lacewell recommendation
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I don't think anyone recommended him. Murray was Switzer. Could just be the OSU thing going on.
jsmith6919
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Guess so, but coulda swore I read that Lacewell had told Jerry something to effect of Randle is the real deal
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He did convince Jerry hiring Old Man Kiffin was a stroke of genius.
L.T. Fan
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I think that was Switzer's words on Murray aS booze said.
jsmith6919
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Yea I remember that, don't think I'm mixing the two up but guess it is possible
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Garrett excited to add Ryan Williams
May, 19, 2014
By Todd Archer | ESPNDallas.com
IRVING, Texas -- The Dallas Cowboys have yet to make the signing of running back Ryan Williams official, but coach Jason Garrett is excited to have the former second-round pick on the roster.
Before the move becomes official, the Cowboys will have to make a roster move to stay under the 90-man limit.
Williams was the second-round pick by the Arizona Cardinals in 2011 but played in only five games in three seasons because of injuries. He missed his rookie season after rupturing the patella tendon in his right knee. He ran for 164 yards on 58 carries in 2012 before suffering a shoulder injury. He did not play in a game last season.
"He was a guy that we regarded very highly coming out in the draft,” Garrett said. “He was one of the best backs in the draft that year, and somebody we thought a lot of. He’s gone there, and he’s had some injuries, had injuries in ’11 and ’12. Then, he was injury-free last year but just didn’t play because of what their running-back situation was and their roster makeup. But he’s someone when we watched him on tape - he played mostly in 2012, before he hurt his shoulder - he looks like the back we saw coming out of school. We did our due diligence, and we feel like bringing in a guy like that in to compete at that running back spot is good for our team.”
The Cowboys have kept four tailbacks on the 53-man roster in recent years and Williams joins DeMarco Murray, Lance Dunbar and Joseph Randle as the veteran backs. The club also signed undrafted free agents Ben Malena and Glasco Martin, who took part in the weekend’s rookie minicamp.
“I’ve worked my tail off to get to this point,” Williams said. “It was a rocky road, but I got it done. Regardless of how anybody sees my career going, it was beneficial for me not to play last year and the other year I got hurt with my shoulder. It just gives my knee more time. This isn’t an easy injury to come back from at all. It worked for me.”
May, 19, 2014
By Todd Archer | ESPNDallas.com
IRVING, Texas -- The Dallas Cowboys have yet to make the signing of running back Ryan Williams official, but coach Jason Garrett is excited to have the former second-round pick on the roster.
Before the move becomes official, the Cowboys will have to make a roster move to stay under the 90-man limit.
Williams was the second-round pick by the Arizona Cardinals in 2011 but played in only five games in three seasons because of injuries. He missed his rookie season after rupturing the patella tendon in his right knee. He ran for 164 yards on 58 carries in 2012 before suffering a shoulder injury. He did not play in a game last season.
"He was a guy that we regarded very highly coming out in the draft,” Garrett said. “He was one of the best backs in the draft that year, and somebody we thought a lot of. He’s gone there, and he’s had some injuries, had injuries in ’11 and ’12. Then, he was injury-free last year but just didn’t play because of what their running-back situation was and their roster makeup. But he’s someone when we watched him on tape - he played mostly in 2012, before he hurt his shoulder - he looks like the back we saw coming out of school. We did our due diligence, and we feel like bringing in a guy like that in to compete at that running back spot is good for our team.”
The Cowboys have kept four tailbacks on the 53-man roster in recent years and Williams joins DeMarco Murray, Lance Dunbar and Joseph Randle as the veteran backs. The club also signed undrafted free agents Ben Malena and Glasco Martin, who took part in the weekend’s rookie minicamp.
“I’ve worked my tail off to get to this point,” Williams said. “It was a rocky road, but I got it done. Regardless of how anybody sees my career going, it was beneficial for me not to play last year and the other year I got hurt with my shoulder. It just gives my knee more time. This isn’t an easy injury to come back from at all. It worked for me.”
p1_
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I hope he's not getting ahead of himself. Seems a little overly positive about the poor start to his pro career.
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Scouting Report: Grading Out New RB Ryan Williams
Posted 42 minutes ago
Bryan Broaddus
Football Analyst/Scout
Ryan Williams - Running Back - 5-10 - 205 - 4.61 - Virginia Tech
Drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the 2nd round of the 2011 NFL Draft
Games Studied: 2012 Arizona Cardinals: Philadelphia, St. Louis
Williams has played a total of just five games in his NFL career. He suffered a ruptured patella tendon in his right knee during his rookie season in 2011 and a shoulder injury in 2012 that cut into his playing time. He was healthy in 2013, but was made inactive all 16 games by Bruce Arians and the new coaching staff in Arizona.
There are snaps where he looks very straight-line as a ball carrier, then others where he was able to bend the ball around the block and get up the field – he flashes that ability to make a cut when he needs to. Speed-wise, he was able to get the ball to the corner but didn’t show the ability to get around it. The wider he had to take the ball, the more likely he was going to run out of room.
In the Philadelphia game he did a much better job of making tacklers miss than he did against St. Louis. He had a nice spin move against the Eagles that allowed him to tack on some extra yards on the end of his run. There were snaps where he was able to bounce off the tacklers, keep his balance and finish the run. Then there were others where he was brought down one-on-one in the hole.
His running style is very straight forward -- small jab step, then to the hole. He’s a simple route runner, mainly in the flat. Did not see him catch any passes underneath or inside the tackle box. Hands did appear natural. Did not fight the ball when he had the chance. Was mainly in the open when the ball went in his direction, only had to make one contested catch against the Rams and the ball was knocked away.
If he is lacking in one area, it would be his pass protection. He showed the awareness to understand who he needed to take or help with, but the execution was poor. He is going to need plenty of work here because he struggles with his technique. When ask to help on the edge, he is likely to just try and throw a flipper at the rusher. He and the right tackle gave up a sack against the Eagles where he just flat whiffed on the block. The next time he had to block, he chose to cut the rusher instead of staying on his feet and hitting square. Doesn’t look comfortable at all when he has to do this.
There’s no real risk in what the front office is trying to do here. It’s clear Williams has talent, but he needs to get past the health questions to show how well he can perform.
Posted 42 minutes ago
Bryan Broaddus
Football Analyst/Scout
Ryan Williams - Running Back - 5-10 - 205 - 4.61 - Virginia Tech
Drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the 2nd round of the 2011 NFL Draft
Games Studied: 2012 Arizona Cardinals: Philadelphia, St. Louis
Williams has played a total of just five games in his NFL career. He suffered a ruptured patella tendon in his right knee during his rookie season in 2011 and a shoulder injury in 2012 that cut into his playing time. He was healthy in 2013, but was made inactive all 16 games by Bruce Arians and the new coaching staff in Arizona.
There are snaps where he looks very straight-line as a ball carrier, then others where he was able to bend the ball around the block and get up the field – he flashes that ability to make a cut when he needs to. Speed-wise, he was able to get the ball to the corner but didn’t show the ability to get around it. The wider he had to take the ball, the more likely he was going to run out of room.
In the Philadelphia game he did a much better job of making tacklers miss than he did against St. Louis. He had a nice spin move against the Eagles that allowed him to tack on some extra yards on the end of his run. There were snaps where he was able to bounce off the tacklers, keep his balance and finish the run. Then there were others where he was brought down one-on-one in the hole.
His running style is very straight forward -- small jab step, then to the hole. He’s a simple route runner, mainly in the flat. Did not see him catch any passes underneath or inside the tackle box. Hands did appear natural. Did not fight the ball when he had the chance. Was mainly in the open when the ball went in his direction, only had to make one contested catch against the Rams and the ball was knocked away.
If he is lacking in one area, it would be his pass protection. He showed the awareness to understand who he needed to take or help with, but the execution was poor. He is going to need plenty of work here because he struggles with his technique. When ask to help on the edge, he is likely to just try and throw a flipper at the rusher. He and the right tackle gave up a sack against the Eagles where he just flat whiffed on the block. The next time he had to block, he chose to cut the rusher instead of staying on his feet and hitting square. Doesn’t look comfortable at all when he has to do this.
There’s no real risk in what the front office is trying to do here. It’s clear Williams has talent, but he needs to get past the health questions to show how well he can perform.