Dallas Cowboys Draft: 10 Running Back Prospects To Know
Dexter Williams, Notre Dame
What’s Good: Burst, Strength, Agility
What Ain’t Good: Patience, Off-field Issues, Inconsistency
Dexter Williams is a fairly big guy, standing at 5’11” and 212 pounds. So it should come as no surprise that he ran a 4.57 40 yard dash. He has more to move than some others. (Not much more, but just enough) The 40 yard dash isn’t impressive but the rest of his combine numbers are:
(These numbers were from NFL)
Vertical Jump: 36″
Broad Jump: 10’10”
3 cone drill: 7.0 seconds
20 yard shuttle: 4.16 seconds
The reason I provide you these numbers are because these numbers were justified through his film. The burst exists in his running, contrary to what I wrote about Travis Homer. His agility is good with a solid 3 cone drill time. His 17 reps on the bench press showcase his strength. He has the foundation to become a successful every down back in this league.
Williams does have his fair share of off-field issues. In his sophomore year he was charged with misdemeanor possession of marijuana. The first four games of his senior year, he was suspended for a violation of team rules. (The supposed cause was a second positive screen for marijuana according to One Foot Down)
This isn’t great news, especially for the Cowboys as they are currently dealing with the situation regarding Randy Gregory. For other teams, they hate to draft legitimate talent only to see them out of the league because of substance abuse.
In addition to some major red flags, Williams wasn’t productive against good defenses and lacks the patience for holes to open up. Schools dream of building offensive lines like Notre Dame, so it’s a bit puzzling that he didn’t reach 1000 yards in 11 games. A big reason for that is his lack of patience as a runner.
Williams is built like an every-down, one cut back so for him to lack the patience he needs to be really effective doesn’t help elevate his draft stock. When he finds the hole, he scampers for big gains. Other times he’ll get stood up at the line.
Could he be a Cowboy?:
No. Williams is best suited somewhere else and the Cowboys are in need of a different runner. While Williams has the ability to play every down, he projects more like Zeke than an Alvin Kamara. (Not saying he’s either, just establishing a running style) In fact, he lacks the production as a receiver.
For that reason, the Cowboys should look for someone else. They aren’t helping their offense or Zeke by selecting someone who does exactly what your starter does, except not as well. That was a consistent theme with Rod Smith; you can probably see why he didn’t get much playing time this season.