cowboyjoe
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Sleeper: Akron KR Bryan Williams
7:45 AM Sun, Mar 29, 2009 | Permalink
Rick Gosselin E-mail News tips
High school football in Akron was a bastion for running backs in 2004. Tyrell Sutton rushed for 3,241 yards and 38 touchdowns at Archbishop Hoban, Beanie Wells ran for 1,939 yards and 20 touchdowns at Garfield, and Bryan Williams 1,831 yards and 26 touchdowns at Buchtel. Sutton and Williams were seniors and Wells a junior. Sutton committed to Northwestern, Williams to Pitt and Wells agreed to attend Ohio State a year later.
Now all three are on the 2009 draft board. Wells and Sutton both were invited to the NFL combine, Williams was not. Wells projects as a first-round pick and Sutton a late rounder. The draft stock of Williams is a mystery -- and it shouldn't be.
Williams never made it to Pitt. He wound up spending two seasons at Valley Forge Military Academy before enrolling at Akron. He rushed for 728 yards as a junior, then switched over to safety as a senior. He made 64 tackles and intercepted a pass. But his value in this draft is as a kick returner.
Williams set a school-record with his 31.9-yard kickoff return average in 2007, finishing second in the nation. He returned the first kick of his college career 70 yards against Army and also ran back another 95 yards for a touchdown against Ohio. Teams kicked away from him in 2008 but he still finished sixth in the NCAA with a 29-yard average. He didn't score any touchdowns, but returned 13 of his 21 kicks 25 yards or more. He had a pair of 50-yard returns and a pair of 49s.
Williams still has the legs that made him an elite running back in high school. His versatility on offense, defense and special teams gives him draft value.
7:45 AM Sun, Mar 29, 2009 | Permalink
Rick Gosselin E-mail News tips
High school football in Akron was a bastion for running backs in 2004. Tyrell Sutton rushed for 3,241 yards and 38 touchdowns at Archbishop Hoban, Beanie Wells ran for 1,939 yards and 20 touchdowns at Garfield, and Bryan Williams 1,831 yards and 26 touchdowns at Buchtel. Sutton and Williams were seniors and Wells a junior. Sutton committed to Northwestern, Williams to Pitt and Wells agreed to attend Ohio State a year later.
Now all three are on the 2009 draft board. Wells and Sutton both were invited to the NFL combine, Williams was not. Wells projects as a first-round pick and Sutton a late rounder. The draft stock of Williams is a mystery -- and it shouldn't be.
Williams never made it to Pitt. He wound up spending two seasons at Valley Forge Military Academy before enrolling at Akron. He rushed for 728 yards as a junior, then switched over to safety as a senior. He made 64 tackles and intercepted a pass. But his value in this draft is as a kick returner.
Williams set a school-record with his 31.9-yard kickoff return average in 2007, finishing second in the nation. He returned the first kick of his college career 70 yards against Army and also ran back another 95 yards for a touchdown against Ohio. Teams kicked away from him in 2008 but he still finished sixth in the NCAA with a 29-yard average. He didn't score any touchdowns, but returned 13 of his 21 kicks 25 yards or more. He had a pair of 50-yard returns and a pair of 49s.
Williams still has the legs that made him an elite running back in high school. His versatility on offense, defense and special teams gives him draft value.