The Player
Tyrell Williams was always the best athlete on the field at Western Oregon, with his natural talent allowing him to dominate lower level competition at the receiver position. But the obscure rookie free agent knew he had a long road ahead in order to make the jump to the NFL, and his two catches a rookie demonstrated that.
At only 160 pounds coming out of high school and playing on a team that only passed the ball three or four times a game, Williams was barely recruited. But once at Western Oregon, his long frame and effortless stride were evident throughout his college career, although injuries and an inconsistent offense limited his production as a senior.
As an athlete, he easily profiles as a big, downfield target in the mold of Javon Walker or Martavis Bryant, and his measurables do those comparisons justice:
| Name | Hght | Wght | 40 yd | Vert | Broad | 3Cone |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tyrell Williams | 6' 3" | 204 | 4.43 | 39½" | 127" | 6.74 |
| Braylon Edwards | 6' 3" | 210 | 4.45 | 38" | 6.83 | |
| DeVante Parker | 6' 3" | 209 | 4.45 | 36½" | 125" | |
| Javon Walker | 6' 3" | 210 | 4.38 | 39½" | 126" | 6.86 |
| Martavis Bryant | 6' 3½" | 211 | 4.42 | 39" | 124" | 7.18 |
| Sidney Rice | 6' 4" | 200 | 4.51 | 39½" | 119" | 7.09 |
| Chris Henry | 6' 4" | 197 | 4.5 | |||
| Terrance Williams | 6' 2" | 208 | 4.52 | 32½" | 119" | 7.01 |
| A.J. Green | 6' 4" | 211 | 4.48 | 34½" | 126" | 6.91 |
Many will remember his 80-yard touchdown in the season finale against Denver last season, where he put that athleticism on display running right past Aqib Talib. Granted, it was a mental mistake by Talib and likely the easiest touchdown Williams will ever score, but you could still see the size and speed that make him an intriguing target in this San Diego Chargers attack.
The Opportunity
Philip Rivers has already nicknamed Williams "Little Malcom," paying homage to former Chargers deep threat Malcom Floyd, so it isn't hard to guess how the team views his role, especially as a complement to the more possession-oriented Keenan Allen.
While injuries always seemed to stunt what Floyd was able to accomplish in San Diego, he hovered around 85 to 100 targets a season and between 800 to 900 yards when healthy.
While it would be presumptive to anticipate Williams could emerge as a better weapon than Floyd, he certainly has the athletic ability to equal those numbers, even with the newly signed Travis Benjamin often tabbed for that role. But with Steve Johnson out for the season, I wouldn't be surprised if Benjamin takes more of an underneath slot type of role while Williams is given more opportunities on the outside, although James Jones is certainly lurking to steal touchdowns and targets.
His emergence may not happen in 2016, but watch out for Williams this season. I expect his value will only continue to climb as the opportunities present themselves.