20/20: Kyren Williams, RB Notre Dame

Kyren Williams

Rob Willette Posted On February 28, 2022

Welcome to the 20/20 series. As part of our continued Dynasty Scouts coverage and in preparation for the NFL Combine, we profile 20 of the top incoming rookies of the class of 2022 by giving you 20 facts you must know.

1. Player Name: Kyren Williams

2. College: Notre Dame

3. Height/Weight: 5’9”

4. Birthdate: 199

5. Class: Junior

6. Basic College stats: After playing sparingly as a true freshman, Williams exploded onto the scene as a sophomore. He was a pivotal piece of the Notre Dame offense as they put together a strong season in the ACC and reached the College Football Playoff. His well-rounded skill-set allowed him to play heavy snaps during his final two years in South Bend.

Courtesy of Sports Reference.

7. NFL draft round projection: Unless you’re an elite running back, serious draft capital can be hard to come by. There’s generally an army of second-tier backs who start hearing their name called on day two all the way through to the end of day three. The best estimate is Williams gets the nod towards the latter half of round three, but a slip into the later stages of the draft is feasible if warts pop up in his draft profile.

Data from NFL Mock Draft Database.

8. Current NFL Comp: While Williams should offer more as a pure runner, he has a bit of James White in his game. Like White, Williams is a compact back who will be more reliant on cutting ability and versatility to be successful. Also like White, Williams could prove to be a high-volume receiver who racks up PPR points even when the other parts of his game are not clicking.

9. Best possible destination: The Arizona Cardinals are facing the possibility of losing both James Conner and Chase Edmonds to free agency. Currently, former UDFA and third-year running back Eno Benjamin would top the depth chart. Whether they re-sign one of their veterans or hit the draft, Arizona is going to need runners. Both Conner and Edmonds have produced when given touches, and Williams’ ability to operate as a receiver could be a great wrinkle for a team who runs such WR-heavy formations. Williams could be an excellent fit in the desert.

10. Worst possible destination: In general, the Miami Dolphins seem like an ideal spot for any running back. They have a thin depth chart which should provide ample opportunity for any new runner. Yet, they’re still a limited offense looking to replace as many as four offensive linemen, and their big need may be a quality runner on first and second down as opposed to a back like Williams who does some of his best work in space on passing downs. While we are excited about what Mike McDaniel brings to town, the backs in San Francisco were not highly engaged in the passing game. The Dolphins don’t seem to be the ideal fit.

11. Best current skill: When Williams puts his foot in the dirt, he can explode downfield in a hurry and create space with his dynamic burst. He’s loose and agile in the open field and can create with sheer athleticism. His ability to create chunk plays should be a welcome addition for any offense.

12. Skill that needs to be improved: A lot of runners can look explosive in space. It takes a special back to work through the muck around the line of scrimmage and pick up those extra yards which can become so crucial. While Williams is no slouch as far as power and effort are concerned, he can get swallowed up in traffic and lose out on tough yards which help endear you to a coaching staff. Fortunately, it is a skill that can grow with time, and one which Williams can build on as he hits the next level.

13. Current rookie ADP: Williams is currently going off the board as the 11th overall player and the fourth running back. It is a healthy ranking for Williams and speaks to the respect he has as a prospect. While the community is high on him, draft capital will be essential to keeping his spot in the first round of rookie drafts.

14. Projected dynasty value: The large middle tier of fantasy running backs seems to be an ever-evolving mess of limited or committee backs. There are fears Williams falls into this group, though a strong start to his career could lead to a lofty ranking as he passes up backs who age out. The mere fact he is a young back with upside makes him a more viable odd than your cookie-cutter runners hitting free agency to land a second contract.

15. Height and weight measurements are crucial: Listed at 5’9” and 200 pounds, Williams is not a big back but has enough size to mitigate most concerns. The issue is if he checks in much smaller, as players are known to do when compared to their college bios. If Williams is an inch or two shorter and ten or more pounds lighter, he falls into a prototype which would make success an outlier result.

16. Notre Dame running backs have not made their mark recently: You simply never scout the helmet. It is a primitive and foolish way of evaluating talent. Brian Kelly brought in a lot of talented runners during his Notre Dame tenure, yet none had staying power as true NFL stars. Theo Riddick is the most successful back from his tenure, with names like CJ Prosise, Josh Adams and Tony Jones having their moments. It is likely more an odd footnote than anything else, but Williams will look to change the recent trend.

17. All-Time great: Williams checks in at number 13 on Notre Dame’s all-time leading rusher list. He is also one of only five Golden Domers to eclipse 1,000 yards rushing in back-to-back seasons. He accomplished the feat on the last carry of his Notre Dame career, a 12-yard touchdown scamper against Stanford.

18. A first: There has never been a player with the first name of Kyren to suit up in an NFL game. He will be an inspiration to Kyrens everywhere immediately.

19. High floor? You shudder to refer to any prospect as high floor, as a multitude of factors could conspire to send a player to bust status. I have never been one to make sound decisions, however. I feel Williams’ ability as a pass-catcher and his general ability to make plays in the open field make him someone who should stick at the NFL level even if he does not reach superstardom.

20. Played some receiver in high school: It is immediately apparent Williams is a natural receiver, and those skills originated in high school where he spent some time operating as a wide receiver. The experience has served him well and makes him far more advanced in passing game situations than most other backs.