Denver Broncos UDFA WR Jimmy Williams has big play ability
The Denver Broncos are loaded at wide receiver, but undrafted free agent rookie Jimmy Williams from ECU could factor into the team’s future plans…
The Denver Broncos’ 2018 NFL Draft class is one of the most highly regarded in the league right now, and rightfully so. But what this team does in undrafted free agency is typically as impressive if not more so than any other team in the NFL.
The Broncos have a loaded group at the wide receiver position right now, but they added a player in Jimmy Williams out of East Carolina who could potentially factor into the team’s future plans at the position.
Williams is well built at 5-foot-11, 197 pounds, and ran a 4.50-second 40-yard dash at the ECU pro day. He also posted a 36.5-inch vertical jump, 16 bench press reps at 225 pounds, and a very solid 10-foot, 6-inch broad jump.
Those measurables would have put Williams among the top performers overall at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis at the wide receiver position, but he did not receive an invitation to the annual event in Indianapolis.
The Broncos have quite a few American Athletic Conference players on their roster. As a matter of fact, the only two conferences on the roster with more players are the Big Ten (16) and Pac 12 (15).
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It’s likely they came upon Williams when scouting some of the other players they have on their team now, or possibly if they were looking at ECU star Zay Jones a season ago.
The Broncos perhaps came away impressed by Williams’ ability to put up big numbers against some of the best teams he faced off against at ECU, especially in the 2016 season.
He had at least 129 yards receiving against Virginia Tech, UCF, and Cincinnati back in 2016 when Shane Carden was still around throwing passes.
Part of the reason such a gifted athlete like Williams fell out of the draft has to do with medical history.
Despite having his redshirt lifted as a true freshman in 2013, Williams ended up having to be granted an additional year of eligibility by the NCAA due to foot and ankle injuries he sustained, which prevented him from reaching his full potential.
But it didn’t prevent the Broncos and other teams from seeing some of his NFL-caliber traits.
Williams carries a chip on his shoulder and is capable of making tough, contested catches. He obviously has big-time speed but can also make an impact finding soft spots in zone coverages.
He may get lost in the shuffle a bit, but keep an eye on this young playmaker over the course of the offseason.