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The countdown continues and our number eight prospect in college football is... Running Back Ryan Williams, Virginia Tech (Red-Shirt Sophomore):
Cons: While there isn’t much about his game that we don’t like, with just one year of experience at the college level, Williams has room for improvement. He has a bad habit of swinging the arm that he is holding the ball with when trying to build up movement and accelerate through his cuts. Although ball security wasn’t an issue in 2009—he did not fumble last year—if Williams doesn’t learn to keep the ball high and tight at all times, he will become prone to strip tackles at the next level. That won’t be tolerated. Even though he didn’t miss any games, Williams did suffer a pre-season ankle injury in 2009, which he re-aggravated during the season. He was later pulled from the Chick-fil-A Bowl in the third quarter of Tech’s victory over Tennessee with a left ankle sprain. As a precautionary measure, Williams was held out the Hokies’ 2010 spring game with what was labeled a bruised knee. The All-ACC performer has excellent definition, but could add some weight and muscle to his extremities. Doing so would not only make him a more physical runner, but also better prepare his body to withstand the punishment inherent to playing running back in the NFL. Williams also has to improve his balance, as he has a tendency to get knocked off his center of gravity. As impressive is he is all-around, the Virginia Tech product does fall a bit short of the NFL prototype in terms of size and speed. Our View: After starting tailback Darren Evans was lost for the season with a pre-season injury, many wondered if the Hokies’ rushing attack would take a step back. Enter Williams…and the rest is history as he seamlessly stepped in as Tech’s feature back and focal point of their offense. What is special about Williams is that he has athletic skills and instincts that cannot be taught or coached—he has all the tools to develop into a lead horse in the NFL. Yes, he has flaws in both his game and body, but they are easily correctable with proper training and some tough NFL coaching. Williams will be taught to eliminate the swinging motion with his ball hand when running. His problems with balance, concerns about his long-term durability and his ability to fight through contact can all be alleviated by adding about 10-12 pounds of muscle in his arms and legs. If the record-setting runner can add some weight and build on the success of his red-shirt freshman year, he is a lock for the top half of the first round of next year’s draft should he declare (he will have two years of eligibility remaining following the 2010 season). In fact, with a big season Williams has a chance to crack the top 10 and be the top running back in the 2011 draft class. There are big expectations for the Hokies in 2010 and how Williams performs under the spotlight will also play into his evaluation. Moreover, if senior signal caller Tyrod Taylor continues to improve on his game, it will only benefit Williams. Look for an All-American type season and a potential Heisman run for this Hokie. Players Profiled To Date: 1. Andrew Luck, Quarterback, Stanford 2. Jake Locker, Quarterback, Washington 3. A.J. Green, Wide Receiver, Georgia 4. Marcel Dareus, Defensive Lineman, Alabama 5. Patrick Peterson, Cornerback, LSU 6. Robert Quinn, Defensive End, North Carolina 7. Cameron Heyward, Defensive End, Ohio State 8. Ryan Williams, Running Back, Virginia Tech 9. Adrian Clayborn, Defensive End, Iowa 10. Mark Ingram, Running Back, Alabama 11. Anthony Castonzo, Offensive Tackle, Boston College 12. Julio Jones, Wide Receiver, Alabama 13. Allen Bailey, Defensive Lineman, Miami 14. Greg Romeus, Defensive End, Pittsburgh 15. Prince Amukamara, Cornerback, Nebraska 16. Gabe Carimi, Offensive Tackle, Wisconsin 17. Ryan Mallett, Quarterback, Arkansas 18. Marvin Austin, Defensive Tackle, North Carolina 19. Michael Floyd, Wide Receiver, Notre Dame 20. Bruce Carter, Outside Linebacker, North Carolina 21. Aaron Williams, Cornerback, Texas 22. DeAndre McDaniel, Safety, Clemson 23. Stephen Paea, Defensive Tackle, Oregon State 24. Jonathan Baldwin, Wide Receiver, Pittsburgh 25. Matt Reynolds, Offensive Tackle, BYU 26. Jurrell Casey, Defensive Tackle, USC 27. Ras-I Dowling, Cornerback, Virginia 28. Akeem Ayers, Outside Linebacker UCLA 29. Nate Solder, Offensive Tackle, Colorado 30. Rahim Moore, Free Safety, UCLA 31. Da'Quan Bowers, Defensive End, Clemson 32. Quan Sturdivant, Outside Linebacker, North Carolina * * * * * Available Now: Get your copy of the 2010 Post-Draft Recap & Rookie Fantasy Football Analysis right here. Coming Soon: The 2011 NFL Draft Bible Prospectus, featuring the stars of tomorrow! Photo Courtesy of David Knachel, Virginia Tech Athletics Communications 
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Pros: Anyone who watched Virginia Tech football last season can tell you one thing for sure: running back Ryan Williams can flat out play. Williams rumbled for 1,655 yards and 21 touchdowns on his way to setting the Virginia Tech single-season rushing record. Words like durable, dependable, scoring machine, versatile and turnover-free all accurately describe the red-shirt freshman’s performance. You want consistency? The Hokie matched an ACC record with ten 100-yard rushing games. How about stamina and conditioning? The ACC Rookie of the Year started all 13 games, played in 559 snaps and carried the pigskin 292 times. Not just a workman-like runner, the New York (state) native is a big play waiting to happen, possessing long speed (runs the 40-yard dash in the 4.4 range) and athleticism (36.5” vertical jump). Combined with a strong and solid frame at 5’10” and 210-plus pounds, Williams is packed with NFL potential. He is able to complement his fleetness of foot with acceleration, elusiveness, the ability to change directions without losing momentum, lateral agility and a quick-decision, north-south running style. One of the reasons why the first-year running back seemed to get better as the season wore on is the fact he is an intelligent runner who expanded on his game with lessons learned from earlier in the season. While he is not afraid of contact, Williams understands when to pick his battles; he knows when to truck a defender and when to avoid the big hit. The phenom is a demon in the open field and the moment he gets into the secondary he is one cut or juke from a long touchdown run. While not used consistently as a pass catcher, Williams has flashed ability as a receiver coming out of the backfield—he has long arms and catches the ball with his hands away from his body. The multi-talented runner is capable of executing every rushing play imaginable—from smash-mouth, between-the-tackles runs, to stretch plays designed to go outside. Williams has excellent bounce in his step and it allows him to almost float along the gridiron effortlessly.