THE WILLIAMS FILE
Second-team All-ACC, 2020
Second-team All-American, 2020
PFWA All-Rookie Team, 2021
By Lenn Robbins
There are a lot of fascinating stories of players that have made it to the NFL in unlikely fashion. Even by those standards, Denver’s Javonte Williams’ ascent as one of the most talented running backs in the league is downright mindboggling.
I mean, the guy went from being barely able to stand to being barely able to tackle.
When he was a toddler, Williams’ parents became concerned when their son had trouble standing up. Ear infections had affected his equilibrium so doctors inserted tubes and that was the start of no stopping Williams, even though he began his football career as a stopper. Williams didn’t transition from linebacker to running back until his senior year of high school.
It’s one of the reasons he didn’t receive any offers from Power 5 schools and was seriously considering taking his 4.6 GPA to Yale. But then North Carolina offered and the 5-foot-10, 220-pound beast was unleashed. Williams runs with a linebacker mentality. One high school coach described his running style as “violent.”
“He’s just a beast, man,” Broncos guard Dalton Rinser said. “I love blocking for that dude. Those guys aren’t going to stop until you bring them down, and that’s heart. That’s drive. I don’t think anyone knows how special No. 33 is, but he’s a very special football player.”
The only thing holding Williams back from becoming a 1,500-yard rusher in his second season (he ran for 903 yards and four touchdowns as a rookie) is that he splits time with Melvin Gordon III. That gives the Broncos one of the best running back tandems in the league.
As Williams gains experience, he’s likely to gain carries. Which means the Javonte Williams is just starting to be told.