Notre Dame Football: ESPN Names Williams As Most Exciting Player for Irish
By J.P. Scott
ESPN chose the most exiciting player on each Top 25 team heading into 2018. Dexter Williams was their choice for Notre Dame football.
Lists and rankings are commonplace for outlets like us that cover Notre Dame football — and any football for that matter — this time of year. Nobody is immune to publishing them — not even ESPN.
On Wednesday, ESPN put out a quick, fun article highlighting the most exciting player on each of college football’s Top 25 teams heading into the 2018 season. Their choice for Notre Dame was running back Dexter Williams.
Williams is an interesting-yet-not outlandish choice. Many probably would have gone with quarterback Brandon Wimbush, but it’s not hard to agree with ESPN’s reasoning. “The Worldwide Leader” cited Williams’ better-than nine yards per carry average in 2017. They also liked the fact that he could become the focal point of the Irish offense — at least from a running standpoint — in 2018.
Dexter Williams certainly looked like a guy who can carry the load offensively for Notre Dame during this year’s Blue-Gold Spring Game. He ran the ball 11 times for 117 yards and a score during that outing.
So far during his three-year career at Notre Dame, Williams has run for 605 yards and eight touchdowns. He has also caught six passes for 29 yards and a score.
If ESPN’s prediction is to come true this season, Dexter Williams is obviously going to need more reps and touches.
Aside from injuries, the biggest hurdle in the way of Williams getting more reps and even locking down the starting job is his pass-blocking ability. If he’s not a liability on passing downs, there’s no reason he shouldn’t be the bellcow.
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If Williams continues to struggle with that facet of his game, he’ll very likely remain a situational player who can provide a spark of the bench and not much more.