Notre Dame football: Don’t let Kyren Williams’s Combine 40 time fool you
By Brad Weiss
The Notre Dame football team had a star at running back the last two years, and despite his Combine showing, should be a top back taken in 2022.
The Notre Dame football team got an incredible two seasons from Kyren Williams in 2020 and 2021, as he posted back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons. During that time, he displayed the kind of all-around skill set that should make him a top running back taken in the 2022 NFL Draft.
On Friday, the running backs and offensive linemen hit the field for on-field workouts at the 2022 NFL Combine, a workout that included the 40-yard dash. While some running backs posted incredible numbers, led by Pierre Strong from South Dakota State, who had a mark of 4.37, Williams’s number left a lot to be desired.
In fact, it was one of the slower times in the position group, as he finished up with an official 40-yard dash time of 4.65. While that is certainly fast, it could cause scouts to raise some eyebrows, but they should not be fooled by the stopwatch.
Notre Dame football star a do-everything back
The 40-yard dash is no indication of how good a running back is going to be at the next level, it just indicates that they are good at running 40 yards in a straight line. For Williams, all you have to do is look at his tape and how he was able to run around, and over players during his time as the feature back for the Irish.
Williams ran away from the entire UNC defense last season in their win against the Tar Heels, so unless that entire team was running in quicksand, you can be sure Williams has more than enough speed to compete at the next level. In Williams, you are also getting a player who can dominate in the passing game, as well as a capable blocker, so there are no limitations as to what he can bring to an offense.
So for those scouts and coaches out there worried about Williams due to his 40-yard dash time, my advice is to not be fooled by a number on a stopwatch. Williams is the kind of player who is going to be NFL-ready from Day 1, and whoever gets him will be getting a back they can build their running game around.