Ht – 5’9” Wt – 194lb Class – JR Age – 21
Career Statistics
2021 Stats – 204 Att, 1002 RuYds (4.9 YPC), 14 TD, 42 Rec, 359 RecYds (12 Games Played)
Career Stats – 419 Att, 2153 RuYds (5.1 YPC), 27 TD, 78 Rec, 675 RecYds (26 Games Played)
Attribute Breakdown
Vision – Inconsistent and puzzling. There were many instances of missed holes and opportunities, but also many instances of elite vision and pinpoint running. At the second level, Kyren Williams is practically a punt returner (he is also a punt returner on special teams). He manipulates blocks perfectly to always gain optimal yardage.
Elusiveness – Kyren Williams might be the hardest Running Back to tackle. He is extremely elusive and always finds new ways to evade tacklers. Whether he is stuttering, jump-cutting, spinning, or just out running, he is impossible to bring down. His great contact balance adds to this impossibility.
Blocking – Phenomenal blocker for a Running Back. He successfully stonewalled pass-rushers with both shoulder blows and arm locks. He is as reliable a blocker as they come in this class.
Burst – Not explosive through holes at all. He is very precise and has good patience, so this helps him get through holes with ease, but he could use much more explosion.
Receiving – Excellent receiver. Williams even lined up in the slot and out wide on several plays. He is a crisp route-runner and has very soft and sticky hands. He will be an elite 3rd-down receiving back, and a true threat on passing downs.
Explosiveness – Kyren Williams can take it the distance on any given play. While he doesn’t have elite burst or top-end speed, he is as elusive as they come and can get past any defender. His vision at the second level also assists greatly.
Combine – Williams might have dropped the most projected draft slots among anyone in this draft, across all positions. He ran an unofficial 4.73, despite his official 4.65 final number. He had average Vertical and Broad jumps, and he measured in shorter, lighter, and with shorter arms than expected.
Overall
Kyren Williams is one of the largest-ranging projected prospects in this draft. Some have him as a Top 3 ‘Back, and others have him outside their Top 10 Running Backs completely.
Pre-Combine, Williams was easily a top-tier ‘Back in this draft. As an early-down runner, he has a few faults that will prevent him from being a consistent force. His lack of burst, speed, and size will stand in his way. However, he is still capable in that regard, using his occasional great vision and his elite elusiveness. Additionally, as a passing-down specialist, he is a revelation.
Post-Combine, he is now understood to be small and unathletic, which is very damning for a Running Back. His short arms will limit his blocking and receiving abilities, both areas that should be his strong suits. His lack of size and height make him an even worse early-down option, and his lack of speed (although expected) hurts his projection as a full-time receiving specialist.
It’s hard to gauge his future success given this dichotomy. Therefore, I can’t with good conscience rank him in my top tier of Running Backs in this class. However, he was still phenomenal at Notre Dame, and I can’t drop him down too far.
If anyone is worth a 3rd round shot, it’s Kyren Williams.
See Kyren Williams’s overall ranking among other players on my Big Board.
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