A UNC running back is on the rise with the 2021 NFL Draft up next
We are about two weeks away from Thanksgiving, and college football is back to normal. Well…almost. We’ve been waiting months for the Big 10 and Pac-12 to start up to see them ripped away from us with outbreaks of the ongoing health crisis. It’s a hard thing to manage, but we’ve seen some great football across the country, especially in the ACC. Notre Dame looks like a contender even though they did not face Trevor Lawrence, and with the 2021 NFL Draft upcoming.
Miami looks to be dangerous with D’Eriq King and a good pass rush. Boston College might have found something in former Notre Dame quarterback Phil Jurkovec. However, the University of North Carolina might be one of the most exciting teams to watch right now, and it is not because of Sam Howell.
North Carolina has one of the most potent offenses in the country. They are averaging 537.9 yards per game, 40.9 points per game, and 239.4 yards on the ground. Sam Howell isn’t having a bad year by any means, but this team’s story is the two running backs. Senior Michael Carter and Junior Javonte Williams have been on a tear this year.
Both are averaging over seven yards per carry! Williams has started to make headlines with his play. He’s currently tied for the lead in rushing touchdowns with Najee Harris at fourteen. Williams came into the season as a bit of a sleeper at running back but now has fully solidified himself within the top tier.
UNC running back on the rise
Personally, I am a fan of this 2021NFL Draft running back class. There may not be a true blue-chip prospect or any real bell-cows besides Najee, but in today’s NFL, most teams are not looking for that. Only a select few backs will get 310+ touches a year, and it can be argued that’s not sustainable. When looking for running back prospects, I like to evaluate them on how they will do with 200-250 touches in an offense.
In this class, there are a lot of guys that can make an impact on that workload. When looking at the top guys, Javonte Williams can play with the best. Clemson running back Travis Etienne has been the crown jewel of running backs for two seasons now and will be a good player. But, there can be some concerns with his ball security, as he’s had some costly fumbles this year and was virtually shut down against Notre Dame. Alabama running back Najee Harris looks all the parts of a bell-cow guy at the next level.
He will wear down defenses and use his athleticism to find end zones consistently. After them, there are a lot of guys in this class that will stand out in NFL running back rooms. Williams can be that next guy in this class.
Where Javonte Williams wins
Williams has a solid frame at five-foot-ten 220 pounds. More built than most backs in this class with speed to win the race to the edge. He is not a burner, but defenders will lose some foot races against him.
Vision is one of the most essential traits for a running back, and Williams finds holes very well. Sets up defenders pretty well at the line of scrimmage. He shows good patience with pulling guards and knows when he can wait for a hole to open. He likes to get low and skinny through holes.
At 220 pounds, Williams has some nice power and keeps a low center of gravity. Consistently lowers shoulder for extra yards and will run right through arm tackles. Very rarely goes down at first contact. His balance is excellent, and can pin-ball off tacklers. Plays like a bowling ball through second level defenders. Great leg drive at the goalline. Has some nice hands out of the backfield will keep him out there on third downs.
Now that we have hit where Williams wins on the field, we will now look at where Williams has room for improvement, and what his 2021 NFL Draft projection may look like this upcoming April.
Where Williams has room for growth and 2021 NFL Draft projection
Williams recognizes blitzers pretty well and does a good job in protection but needs some work. Needs to see cut back lanes earlier when his blocks aren’t there. Acceleration isn’t great. Takes some space to get going. Williams will make the occasional guy miss in space but isn’t elusive. I would like to see him be more explosive through the hole.
Williams has really exploded for the Tar Heels in 2020. His size and power will make him a special running back in the NFL. I love his leg drive and consistently fights for extra yards. NFL teams will fall in love with his effort. I was concerned with his ability to see cut back lanes in 2019, but it seems as though he has improved. Many of his big runs in 2020 are from getting linebackers to bite with his eyes and then cutting back. His patience helps create a lot of yards and will help him do well in the NFL.
Jack Borowsky of The Dynasty Draft Room has some thoughts on Williams as well:
"“Williams formed a fantastic one-two punch with Michael Carter in the UNC backfield this past season. He is more of the thumper back, but Carter was strong in a number of areas. His explosion was an essential aspect of his game. Javonte’s size and acceleration allowed him to break tackles, while also picking up big yardage. His play strength was that of an NFL veteran, as he was great in pass protection. It was extremely hard for ACC defenders to bring him down. They would almost bounce off of him when Williams made contact with them. He doesn’t have all-world speed, but in the open field, he has a second gear.”"
Williams can be a top-50 pick come April and be one of the first running backs off the board. Look out for both he and Carter to continue to make a splash on the field for the Tar Heels. He compares well to David Johnson of the Houston Texans when he came out of Northern Iowa, and has the makings of a day-two pick.