In the 2021 NFL Draft, Denver Broncos GM George Payton made a move to trade up and oust Javonte Williams from UNC. It was a move that drew backlash, not because Williams is a bad player, but because running backs are of low value in the modern NFL.
Running backs are the positions with the shortest lifespans because they consistently get such punishment, but Williams is having a great rookie year and looks poised to take a step forward heading into this season.
However, he has some concerns that need to be improved. So, looking at the big picture, what will Williams have to offer in 2022 and beyond?Let’s dive into his resume to find out the answers.
biography
Williams is still a young player, just turned 22. This is a good sign, as the age of concern for running backs is 28 to 30. He was born and raised in North Carolina, and UNC was the only FBS school to offer him.
college career
In his first year of college, Williams recorded 43 carries for 224 yards. He added five touchdowns and matched with 165 carries in his second year. In his second year he gained 937 yards, but he fumbled the ball twice.
In his first two years, he added 25 catches on 28 targets for 234 receiving yards. Williams entered his UNC rotation and was prominent in his first two years.
In his third year, his play, primarily efficiency, improved dramatically. He had 157 carries and nearly 1,200 rushing yards, falling 32 yards short. He added another fumble, but he scored 19 touchdowns and forced 76 missed tackles.
Williams was difficult to tackle and later paired very well with Michael Carter, who was drafted by the New York Jets in the same 2021 class. Williams was big and physical, often imposing his will on would-be tacklers and pass protection.
There were some concerns about Williams revolving around his vision and playing as a receiver. The main problem as a receiver was that he had some bad drops on his part, although he only scored four times throughout his college career.
draft
Williams was in the top three in the 2021 draft class, but his placement continued. But for some, Williams was the top running back and only helped himself through the draft process.
Outside of the 40-yard dash, Williams was above the 70th percentile in each Test. His 40th time with a 20-yard split put him in the 47th percentile and a 10-yard split put him in the 41st percentile. Ultimately, he earned his relative motion score of 8.79.
Payton liked what he saw with Williams, trading the 40th and 114th overall picks to Atlanta to move up, drafting Williams with the 35th overall pick, while also drafting the 219th overall pick. I got my nomination back.
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professional career
Williams had to race for his place as Melvin Gordon’s primary backup, not without problems, but he landed a second job and had an impressive rookie year. spent.
Williams had 903 rushing yards on 203 carries and forced four touchdowns, two fumbles, and 63 unsuccessful tackles. As a receiver, Williams added his 43 catches to 51 targets for 316 yards, of which he dropped four targets.
Drops are a concern for Williams. The numbers themselves aren’t great, but with an 8.5 drop rate, he’s the 7th highest among his running backs. Drops do occur, but running his back is a safe exit, so we want to reduce the drop rate.
Williams was also concerned about his visibility as a runner, but he was able to make up for it with his power as a rusher.
In fact, Williams is one of the most booming or busting running backs in the NFL, with 114 of his 203 rushes for 3 yards or less. His success rate was 46.3% for him, while the league average was 49.1% for him.
Again, Williams’ ability to force missed tackles was a huge advantage that helped cover up the problems he had with his vision. , forced the second most tackles in the NFL. But to further score those three forced miss tackles, Taylor had 129 more carries than Williams.
Outlook for 2022
Williams and Gordon are expected to have similar usage to last year, which both ended with 203 carries, although there may be slight variations. Instead of Gordon being a 1A, Williams seems to be taking it over, and the balance of Carey is heading towards his 60/40 split in favor of the young man.
The Broncos’ new plans to rely on vision have raised some concerns. However, the comments that emerge through several training camp practices are encouraging.
Head coach Nathaniel Hackett wants the running back to be heavily involved in offense. That means Williams has to step up as both a runner and a receiver.
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