Jamaal Williams | Running Back | BYU | 6'0" - 212 lbs.
OVERVIEWWilliams led the Cougars in rushing in all four seasons in which he played, even though he has had off-field and injury issues during his time in Provo. The all-state pick from California played immediately as a true freshman, starting eight games and rushing for 755 yards and 12 touchdowns on 166 carries. He also added 315 yards and a touchdown on 27 receptions. Williams was an FBS All-Independent team pick as the full-time starter in 2013, gaining 1,233 yards and scoring seven times on 217 totes (18-125 receiving). His junior season was derailed by a knee injury and suspension for multiple team code violations, including an underage drinking citation. He rushed for 518 yards and four scores in seven games that year, still leading the team in rushing. Williams sat out the 2015 season entirely after withdrawing from school for personal reasons, always intending to return for his senior season the following fall. He carried the mail for the Cougars 234 times in 2016, accumulating 1,375 yards and scoring 12 times, though he missed three games with an ankle injury. He finished fifth in the country with 137.5 yards per game last fall, in part thanks to a 287-yard, five-touchdown effort against Toledo before the ankle injury occurred.
ANALYSISSTRENGTHS Carries NFL size with a muscular build and good height. Able to bend at point of impact and attack with decent leverage. Uses his stiff arm as a weapon to escape tackles on an angle. Decisive runner. Sees it and goes. Not into dancing. Has a functional spin move he uses to spin out of tackles and grind out a few extra yards. Keeps his feet churning through contact. Above average ball security with a fumble rate of 140 (one fumble every 140 carries).
WEAKNESSES Bulls through running lanes crashing into blockers rather than shifting with the contours. Doesn't have athleticism to create early yardage for himself. Missing a functional jump cut for sudden shift from gap to gap once line of scrimmage muddies. Hit or miss with run lanes he chooses. Excessive forward lean creates issues with contact balance. Too easily felled by arm tackles. Banger, but not a tackle breaker. Doesn't have the speed to turn the corner when runs spill outside.
DRAFT PROJECTION Rounds 4-5
SOURCES TELL US "He's not very dynamic as a runner so he needs to carve out a niche for himself as a physical backup who can go cover on kickoffs. He hasn't been a special teams guy but he better start." - AFC West regional scout
NFL COMPARISON Stepfan Taylor
BOTTOM LINE His NFL size and physical nature give him a shot to make the back-end of the running back depth chart, but his inability to create for himself with broken tackles and elusiveness puts a ceiling on his draft value.
40 time : 4.59