Wouldn't be a real shocker to me if Damian Williams has the most carries of any Fins running back in 2015.
He dropped because he was suspended twice and ended up being kicked off the team this past season but I think you'd have a better shot at winning the lottery than Williams being our top back this year. If Williams makes the team at all, I think it will only be because of what I've bolded below:
Prospect: Damien Williams
College: Oklahoma
Height: 5’11″
Weight: 214 LBs
Athleticism: Williams is a good athlete with very good long speed. However, Williams lacks the acceleration to take full advantage of his top speed. When he gets to it, he can break away from defenders and take one to the house. Williams’ acceleration is below-average, and he needs a clear lane to and sometimes through the hole to reach top speed. This also means that Williams has a tendency to get brought down behind the line which happened numerous times while I was watching his film. Williams also shows the ability to juke in the open field and make defenders miss. He also does a good job of changing directions in the open field. Williams has a solid build for a RB and has a good amount of strength. He can easily break through arm tackles, and he can also drive the pile as well. However, he is not very consistent in this area. Williams doesn’t have great balance, either. You can’t expect him to make many tip-toeing sideline runs or successfully bounce off big hits like some smaller backs. Overall, Williams is a solid athlete with some special qualities but also some below-average to average qualities.
Rushing: Williams is an above-average rusher who projects to be more of a 3rd down back right now than an every down back. Williams’ vision going through the line is mediocre at best as he doesn’t recognize cut-back lanes. He doesn’t kick it outside when his initial hole is stuffed. Furthermore, Williams’ acceleration really hurts him on edge runs as he takes a while to get out to the edge, but once he does, he is usually at or near top speed. So, he can be very dangerous in the aspect as well as a bit of a liability. Williams shows the necessary strength to function down in the goal-line, but right now, his leg drive is inconsistent. When he is driving his legs, he has shown the ability to push the pile and grab extra yardage. Williams doesn’t mind contact either and does a good job of protecting the football when he initiates contact. Williams covers the ball with both hands when going into traffic and can carry the ball in both hands well. Williams doesn’t run as high as other Oklahoma running backs like DeMarco Murray and Adrian Peterson which is a good sign. Williams does a good job of squaring up and running behind his pads when he goes into traffic. Although he won’t necessarily truck someone, he does a good job of getting low to generate more power when contact is initiated. Williams shows good wiggle in open field to make defenders miss, but his acceleration prevents him from capitalizing on this. Overall, Williams shows some flashes of a potential NFL starter as a rusher, but he still needs work in this area.
Pass Protection: Williams is a very good pass protector. He shows the ability to chip, cut, and solo block defenders. He doesn’t drop his head when initiating contact and shows the ability to take on blitzing linebackers as well as help with defensive linemen. The one area I did notice Williams struggle with a few times was his reaction time to a blitzing linebacker when he had to come across formation. He got beat twice there, but overall, he was able to recover most of the time. Williams has enough strength to handle blitzing linebackers and shows good chipping and cutting ability. Overall, Williams is a good pass blocking running back and could be used as a 3rd down back in the NFL.
Receiving: Williams is a receiving threat in the flats, as he shows good ability after the catch as well as an ability to get open. Williams doesn’t run a large route tree for a RB, as he mostly sticks to screens and working the flats. Williams doesn’t round off the routes that he does run and does a good job of catching the ball with his hands. He’s also shown the ability to adjust to balls thrown behind him which is good to see from a running-back. Williams could be a dangerous weapon in the screen game, as it would give him the space and blocking to reach his top speed and has shown flashes of this at Oklahoma. Williams once again shows the wiggle and juke ability in the open field to break away from defenders, but his acceleration really prevents him from capitalizing on it. Overall, Williams is a solid receiving back with potential if he continues to improve as a route runner and expands his route tree.
Character and Intangibles: JUCO Transfer with no arrests or suspensions at Oklahoma. Also, he is very articulate in interviews.
Overall: Williams projects as more of a 3rd down back/spot starter in the NFL with eventual starter upside. He has very good long speed to go with good wiggle and agility, but he also lacks the acceleration and balance to go with it. Likewise, his vision through the line is poor at this point. On the other end, he’s a very good pass blocker for a running back and also shows the ability to make plays coming out of the backfield. Right now, I would put a 4th round grade on Damien Williams with a ceiling in the middle of the third.
http://www.draftfalcons.com/?p=430
