2021 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Javonte Williams

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Javonte Williams, 5-10/220 Running Back North Carolina

Javonte Williams Scouting Report
By Charlie Campbell

Strengths:

Physical downhill runner

Strong to run through tackles

Contact balance

Gets yards after contact

Strong lower body

Short-yardage, goal-line asset

Keeps feet going after contact

Can move the pile

Speed to hit the hole

Acceleration

Second gear to hit the second level

Instinctive runner

Good vision

Patience

Can create for himself

Anticipation

Good body lean to run low

Bends at the knee

Runs behind his pads

Receiving ability

Quality route-runner

Quality hands

Decisive runner

Three-down starter ability

Weaknesses:

Good, but not great, speed

Will need work as a blitz protector

Summary: The pandemic made the 2020 season very strange, including a variety of draft ramifications from the decreased amount of games and to fewer prospects taking the field. Games were played at least, and as long as games are played, some players manage to improve their draft grades, and Williams was one prospect who really benefited from generating some tape in 2020.

Williams saw his first significant playing time in 2019, carrying the ball 166 times for an average of 5.6 yards per carry for 933 yards with five touchdowns. As a senior, Williams was deadly, platooning with teammate Michael Carter to provide a lethal backfield combination for the Tar Heels. In 2020, Williams averaged 7.3 yards per carry for 1,140 yards and 19 touchdowns, plus caught 25 passes for 305 yards and three touchdowns.

Williams is a physical bell-cow back who has the ability to serve as the engine of a tough NFL rushing attack. He possesses three-down starting potential and can overwhelm a defense. With his power, size, and tough rushing style, Williams is a downhill runner who can impose his will through sheer strength. He also breaks a lot of tackles and picks up yards after contact because of his strong build, knee bend, and ability to run behind his pads. Defenders can really struggle to bring him down at the second level, and it often take multiple tacklers to get him to the turf. Thanks to his contact balance and strength, Williams is a true power back who can wear out a defense. His strength to run through tackles and push the pile makes him an asset in short-yardage and goal-line situations, with his 2020 touchdown total illustrating his ability to produce in the condensed portion of the field.



Along with his power, Williams has the quickness to hit the hole and a second gear to accelerate to the second level. Williams is not a burner, but he has good speed for a big back and is capable of ripping off yards in chunks.

Williams shows the ability serve as a receiving-down back. He has quality hands, runs solid routes for a big back, and shows vision and feel to find the soft spots in defenses. Williams will need some work as a blocker and identifying rushers in the NFL, like all college backs, but he has the size and strength to eventually develop into a good pass protector against blitzing defenders.

Some teams have Williams as the top-rated back for the 2021 NFL Draft. Others prefer Alabama’s Najee Harris or Clemson’s Travis Etienne. Williams looks likely to be selected during the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft.



Player Comparison: Frank Gore. In terms of running style, Williams reminds me of Gore. Gore was a tough, physical, downhill runner who picked up a lot of yards across his prolific NFL career. I don’t think Williams will match Gore’s longevity, as very few ever have, but in terms of running style, I could see Williams having a good career as a plus starter, like Gore was for most of his career.

2021 NFL Draft Player Previews - Choose Player 2021 NFL Draft Player Previews - Home Paulson Adebo, CB, Stanford Tutu Atwell, WR, Louisville Jhamon Ausbon, WR, Texas A&M Aaron Banks, G, Notre Dame Christian Barmore, DT, Alabama Carlos Basham, DE, Wake Forest Rashod Bateman, WR, Minnesota Nick Bolton, LB, Missouri Baron Browning, LB, Ohio State Dyami Brown, WR, North Carolina Spencer Brown, OT, Northern Iowa Tyson Campbell, CB, Georgia Jackson Carman, OT, Clemson Ja'Marr Chase, WR, LSU Andre Cisco, S, Syracuse Zaven Collins, LB, Tulsa Sam Cosmi, OT, Texas Jabril Cox, LB, LSU Christian Darrisaw, OT, Virginia Tech Jamin Davis, LB, Kentucky Wyatt Davis, G, Ohio State Landon Dickerson, C, Alabama Liam Eichenberg, OT, Notre Dame D'Wayne Eskridge, WR, Western Michigan Travis Etienne, RB, Clemson Caleb Farley, CB, Virginia Tech Justin Fields, QB, Ohio State Paris Ford, S, Pittsburgh Pat Freiermuth, TE, Penn State Kenny Gainwell, RB, Memphis Richie Grant, S, Central Florida Najee Harris, RB, Alabama Kylin Hill, RB, Mississippi State Trey Hill, C, Georgia Jevon Holland, S, Oregon Jaycee Horn, CB, South Carolina James Hudson, OT, Cincinnati Talanoa Hufanga, S, USC Creed Humphrey, C, Oklahoma Teven Jenkins, OT, Oklahoma State Mac Jones, QB, Alabama Patrick Jones, DE, Pittsburgh Brevin Jordan, TE, Miami Kelvin Joseph, CB, Kentucky Trey Lance, QB, North Dakota State Trevor Lawrence, QB, Clemson Alex Leatherwood, OT, Alabama Walker Little, OT, Stanford Hunter Long, TE, Boston College Terrace Marshall Jr., WR, LSU Jalen Mayfield, OT, Michigan Tre' McKitty, TE, Georgia Davis Mills, QB, Stanford Trevon Moehrig, S, TCU Elijah Molden, CB, Washington Kellen Mond, QB, Texas A&M Dan Moore Jr., OT, Texas A&M Elijah Moore, WR, Ole Miss Rondale Moore, WR, Purdue Dylan Moses, LB, Alabama Israel Mukuamu, CB, South Carolina Jamie Newman, QB, Wake Forest Greg Newsome, CB, Northwestern Daviyon Nixon, DT, Iowa Dayo Odeyingbo, DE, Vanderbilt Osa Odighizuwa, DT, UCLA Azeez Ojulari, LB, Georgia Levi Onwuzurike, DT, Washington Joseph Ossai, LB, Texas Jayson Oweh, DE, Penn State Jeremiah Owusu-Koromoah, LB, Notre Dame Micah Parsons, LB, Penn State Kwity Paye, DE, Michigan Ronnie Perkins, OLB, Oklahoma Jaelan Phillips, DE, Miami Kyle Pitts, TE, Florida Dillon Radunz, OT, North Dakota Aaron Robinson, CB, Central Florida Quincy Roche, OLB, Miami Larry Rountree, RB, Missouri Gregory Rousseau, DE, Miami Asante Samuel Jr., CB, Florida State Trey Sermon, RB, Ohio State Penei Sewell, OT, Oregon Tyler Shelvin, DT, LSU Rashawn Slater, C, Northwestern DeVonta Smith, WR, Alabama D'Ante Smith, OT, East Carolina Trey Smith, G, Tennessee Marquez Stevenson, WR, Houston Rhamondre Stevenson, RB, Oklahoma Eric Stokes, CB, Georgia Chazz Surratt, LB, North Carolina Sage Surratt, WR, Wake Forest Patrick Surtain, CB, Alabama Tamorrion Terry, WR, Florida State Kadarius Toney, WR, Florida Kyle Trask, QB, Florida Joe Tryon, DE, Washington Jay Tufele, DT, USC Payton Turner, DE, Houston T.J. Vasher, WR, Texas Tech Alijah Vera-Tucker, OT, USC Jaylen Waddle, WR, Alabama Tylan Wallace, WR, Oklahoma State Rashad Weaver, DE, Pittsburgh Javonte Williams, RB, North Carolina Rodarius Williams, CB, Oklahoma State Marvin Wilson, DT, Florida State Zach Wilson, QB, BYU

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