With all the bad Chargers injury news we've had to suffer through the last few years let's focus on a good roster development: Tyrell Williams. I know, it comes because of an injury but Tyrell's journey to the National Football League has been quite unique.
The wide receiver is in his second NFL season but he’s only really played in three NFL games. So he’s basically a rookie. And he knows he’s not going to be able to replace a wideout the caliber of Keenan Allen all by himself. At least, not yet.
“You’ll never be able to replace a guy like Keenan,” says Williams. “He’s one of the best receivers in the league so by committee we all want to step it up and make plays when they come our way and just get as much as we can.”
Williams gets as much as he can on pretty much every reception. In his short professional career Tyrell is averaging an absurd 32 yards per catch. He’s already hauled in an 80-yarder, a 44-yarder and a 38-yarder, two of those going for touchdowns.
“Yeah my average is nice, I’m trying to keep it like that,” Williams says with a smile. “If I can keep that average going throughout my career it would be awesome but I just try to make every play that I can and get as many yards as I can up the field so it’s been working out well.”
Tyrell is obviously legitimate professional pass catcher. He’s on a pace to have a 1,000-yard season, begging the question … How did a guy who’s 6-foot-4 and runs like a deer end up at Division II Western Oregon University?
“I was real skinny coming out of high school. I was tall but really skinny. I just hadn’t filled in to my body yet. And my brother was also playing there so that’s another reason to go there and play three or four more years with him. It was a good situation for me.”
Once the late bloomer started filling out and added a little more speed, the NFL scouts started showing up.
“I ended up running track my junior year in college and that really helped my speed. Going in to camp my senior year I just felt different. I felt faster, I felt stronger and my coach started telling me that NFL scouts had been talking about me so I just wanted to make sure I dialed it in and kept going from there.”
The addition of a new strength and conditioning coach also helped him grow in to the deep threat he is today.
“She was after me because I was real lazy early on. She just kind of stayed after me and got me in the weight room and kept me going. That was a big help for me. That was a big change.”
Now the Chargers hope Williams can keep changing games.
