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Leathernecks LB's stock rates blue-chip
Western Illinois' Jason Williams has grabbed the interest of NFL scouts the past two months.
http://www.pjstar.com/sports/x718268300/Leathernecks-LBs-stock-rates-blue-chip
WIU
Western Illinois linebacker Jason Williams
By KEVIN CAPIE
for the Journal Star
Posted Apr 23, 2009 @ 07:42 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
.Nervous is not a word to describe Western Illinois’ Jason Williams in the days and weeks leading up to the NFL Draft.
The linebacker really hasn’t had time to be nervous.
Over the course of the last two months Williams’ stock climbed with each workout.
“The thing I appreciate is there is not too much mystery that Jason is going to be drafted,” Western coach Don Patterson said. “The only questions are when and by whom.”
For Williams, it doesn’t matter.
Most mock drafts have Williams, rated the ninth-best outside linebacker available, being taken in the third round.
A handful of draft Web sites list Williams as the first player not invited to the annual scouting combine to be drafted.
Not being invited to Indianapolis has been the only setback in the process.
“Initially it was pretty disappointing because of my effort at the East-West Shrine game and during the season to garner the invite,” Williams said. “I felt that I did everything I could possibly do to prove that I should have been there. After it sunk in that I wasn’t going I just had to do that much better at my pro days.”
At Western’s Pro Day sporting a “Numbers Don’t Lie” T-shirt, Williams started to prove the scouts wrong.
Williams ran the 40-yard dash in 4.49 seconds, faster than any of the linebackers at the camp. Some doubts came into that since it was ran on the Western Hall hard court, but Williams bettered the time when he attended Northwestern’s Pro Day in mid-March.
“I wouldn’t say I was nervous,” Williams said, “because when you get nervous you get tight and when you get tight you don’t move well.”
From there, Williams started his interview tour of 11 NFL cities for interviews and individual workouts all the while working on his class assignments.
He returned to campus this week and the waiting began. It likely will be the last quiet week for a few months.
“At this point I’m more anxious than nervous because I want to find out where the next chapter of my life will take me,” Williams said. “Once the draft happens everything picks right back up. The following weekend is rookie mini-camp and after that it’s graduation.
“Everybody knows that the draft doesn’t guarantee you a spot. You still have to make it coming out of camp.”
What has transpired the past two months is almost incomprehensible considering Williams came to Western as a running back.
“I’ve always been a strong believer that everything happens for a reason,” Williams said. “I came here for a reason and I became a linebacker for a reason. Everything has paid off.”
Kevin Capie can be reached at 686-3214 or kcapie@pjstar.com.
Western Illinois' Jason Williams has grabbed the interest of NFL scouts the past two months.
http://www.pjstar.com/sports/x718268300/Leathernecks-LBs-stock-rates-blue-chip
WIU
Western Illinois linebacker Jason Williams
By KEVIN CAPIE
for the Journal Star
Posted Apr 23, 2009 @ 07:42 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
.Nervous is not a word to describe Western Illinois’ Jason Williams in the days and weeks leading up to the NFL Draft.
The linebacker really hasn’t had time to be nervous.
Over the course of the last two months Williams’ stock climbed with each workout.
“The thing I appreciate is there is not too much mystery that Jason is going to be drafted,” Western coach Don Patterson said. “The only questions are when and by whom.”
For Williams, it doesn’t matter.
Most mock drafts have Williams, rated the ninth-best outside linebacker available, being taken in the third round.
A handful of draft Web sites list Williams as the first player not invited to the annual scouting combine to be drafted.
Not being invited to Indianapolis has been the only setback in the process.
“Initially it was pretty disappointing because of my effort at the East-West Shrine game and during the season to garner the invite,” Williams said. “I felt that I did everything I could possibly do to prove that I should have been there. After it sunk in that I wasn’t going I just had to do that much better at my pro days.”
At Western’s Pro Day sporting a “Numbers Don’t Lie” T-shirt, Williams started to prove the scouts wrong.
Williams ran the 40-yard dash in 4.49 seconds, faster than any of the linebackers at the camp. Some doubts came into that since it was ran on the Western Hall hard court, but Williams bettered the time when he attended Northwestern’s Pro Day in mid-March.
“I wouldn’t say I was nervous,” Williams said, “because when you get nervous you get tight and when you get tight you don’t move well.”
From there, Williams started his interview tour of 11 NFL cities for interviews and individual workouts all the while working on his class assignments.
He returned to campus this week and the waiting began. It likely will be the last quiet week for a few months.
“At this point I’m more anxious than nervous because I want to find out where the next chapter of my life will take me,” Williams said. “Once the draft happens everything picks right back up. The following weekend is rookie mini-camp and after that it’s graduation.
“Everybody knows that the draft doesn’t guarantee you a spot. You still have to make it coming out of camp.”
What has transpired the past two months is almost incomprehensible considering Williams came to Western as a running back.
“I’ve always been a strong believer that everything happens for a reason,” Williams said. “I came here for a reason and I became a linebacker for a reason. Everything has paid off.”
Kevin Capie can be reached at 686-3214 or kcapie@pjstar.com.
