Javonte WIlliams RB North Carolina Broncos 2nd Round Pick

[megalodon30]

A little early for a RB, but hopefully can make an impact.

 

[SpringStein]

JAVONTE WILLIAMS | North Carolina 5095 | 212 lbs. | JR. Wallace, N.C. (Wallace-Rose Hill) 4/25/2000 (age 21.01) #25
BACKGROUND: Javonte “Pookie” Williams grew up in Wallace, N.C., 40 miles north of Wilmington, and started playing flag football at the age of 5. He attended Wallace-Rose Hill High School where he spent most of his first three years at linebacker and wing back, averaging 16.0 tackles per game as a junior. Hoping to receive more attention as a recruit, Williams became the team’s featured running back as a senior and posted 2,271 rushing yards and 27 touchdowns, adding 13 catches for 363 yards and five scores. With 207 rushing yards and two scores, he earned MVP honors of the 2017 2A state championship game, the school’s fourth-straight state title. Williams also ran track in high school, setting personal bests in the 100 meters (11.71) and winning a state title in the 4x100-meter relay (44.32).
A three-star running back recruit out of high school, Williams ranked as the No. 94 running back in the class and the No. 46 recruit in the state of North Carolina. He received several lower-level offers from programs like Army, Charlotte, Coastal Carolina, Elon, Navy and several Ivy League programs (he came close to committing to Yale, but didn’t enjoy the football environment). Williams grew up as a passionate North Carolina fan and even considered enrolling at Chapel Hill as a student only. But the day after his final high school game, North Carolina offered him a scholarship. He opted out of the bowl game and decided to skip his senior season and enter the 2021 NFL Draft.

STRENGTHS: Well-built with powerful legs, hips and thighs...violent finisher with outstanding balance through contact, who led the FBS in broken tackles (47) and first-down carries (72) in 2020...power-packed, determined runner who hits with lead in his shoulder pads to put defenders on their backs...one of the most powerful and effective stiff-arm moves you will see from a college player...consistently falls forward and gets the tough yards in short yardage...nimble feet for his size and routinely able to step out of tackles...his cutting skills have become more of a weapon as his run tempo improves...catches the ball well on swing screens without breaking stride...mature and very intelligent on the field and off (high school valedictorian and graduated with a 4.6 GPA)...finished third in the ACC in rushing yards per game (103.6) in 2020.
WEAKNESSES: Shows slight tightness in his hips...inconsistent decision-maker at the line of scrimmage who often attempts to bounce runs when he should hit the hole...can be a tick slow to navigate adjusting run lanes...doesn’t have the speed to consistently win the corner against NFL defenders...relies on his body to finish catches and fights the ball away at times on targets outside his frame...not as stout as expected in pass protection due to timing and technique issues...part of a rotation (only two career starts) and wasn’t asked to do all the heavy lifting.
SUMMARY: A part-time starter at North Carolina, Williams shared the workload with Michael Carter under offensive coordinator Phil Longo, playing more of the thunder role to Carter’s lightning. Both running backs enjoyed remarkable 2020 seasons and finished their careers as the only players in school history (minimum 300 rush attempts) to average better than 6.0 yards per carry. Williams is an incredibly strong runner with a stout stiff-arm to dump defenders, leaving broken tackles all over the field. A linebacker-turned-running back as a senior in high school, he still has plenty of room to improve his run tempo and patience, especially when the run design isn’t there. Overall, Williams can be an inconsistent decision-maker at the line of scrimmage, but he creates for himself through balance and power at contact and forces defenders to be near perfect with their technique to get him on the ground, similar to a more compact version of Leonard Fournette.

 

[Duffman]

I’m gonna say great pick if only because he had the most broken tackles in college and that usually translates to good NFL success IMO.

 

[nflbronco]

This was RB I wanted if we got one day two WOO HOO

 

[SpringStein]

Like the selection, would not have traded up for him.

 

[fightinredantz]

He will replace Melvin Gordon in 2022.

Really like the pick.

 

[SpringStein]

He will replace Melvin Gordon in 2022.

Really like the pick.

Was my first thought about Gordon being here just two years.

 

[Duffman]

Like the selection, would not have traded up for him.

strong rumor is Miami was going to take him and so it looks like we had to.

 

[nflbronco]

This is an all in on 21 move imo

 

[fightinredantz]

The RB room was getting a little lite after this year. I like bringing him in a year early so when we are going to count on him as a starter he has a year of experience. Look at Jonathan Taylor for the Colts last year, started out slow, but was very good by the end of the year. He seems like a younger version of Melvin Gordon.

 

[Mingo]

I really like this pick. Schumur drafted Barkley with the Giants - Paton gave him what he wanted a bell weather RB. If you are going to go with average to slightly better than average QB - you need a running game and the Broncos in particular need a guy who can run for short yardage when the other guys know you're coming.

A ground game is another way to beat the Chiefs - if you can run the clock with the ground game that denies the Chief's offense time to do what they do. He has a lot less wear and tear on his body than Najee Harris.

 

[LGM]

Love love love this pick!

Perfect game to watch him is the Miami game last year. Brutal runner.

 

[RaZon]

Not a ton of NCAA carries, a good thing. A 6.3 average another good thing, cat is also a bonafide stud. Do expect him to be THE rookie RB in 2021.

 

[femurov]

Anyone hear what we gave to move up to 35?

 

[LGM]

Anyone hear what we gave to move up to 35?

Gave up our 4th, got their 7th? Didn't hear the rest of it.

 

[CEH]

PFF #1 CB and RB
Get the MVP and let’s dominate

 

[femurov]

Gave up our 4th, got their 7th? Didn't hear the rest of it.

Damn... we have 4 7ths now?

 

[CEH]

Told you Paton likes a lot of picks on both ends.
I like it.

 

[Mingo]

I was telling @Draft Crazy this AM that the Broncos would take Javonte Williams. DC said - he would like that pick, but the Broncos would have to move up if they were going to select him. We hate it when we are both right.

 

[Mingo]

I was telling @Draft Crazy this AM that the Broncos would take Javonte Williams. DC said - he would like that pick, but the Broncos would have to move up if they were going to select him. We hate it when we are both right.

@Draft Crazy and I make a very good Bronco's team playing together since 1996