Today we are focusing on Charles Williams the bowling ball of a Running Back out of UNLV. Williams is a 5’8″ 200lbs, Senior was one of the top rushers in the Mountain West Conference last season. He is the focal point of the UNLV offensive attack, so look for him to have another big year in 2020. The film I watched to scout Williams was vs. SDSU (2019), at. Wyoming (2019), and at. SDSU (2020).
Pros:
Williams strengths start with and are all based around his unique combination of speed and power. He can be categorized as a “bowling ball” type running back, he is short and thick, and is not afraid to get physical. He runs with a low pad level and he hits the hole hard after he uses his great plant cut move to turn up field. His solid lower body allows him to keep balanced when being hit, and also allows him to bounce of weak arm tackles or tacklers that don’t wrap up. Williams has solid vision that allows him to see most holes and running lanes, but it also helps him set up blockers when he is in the open field. He loves to run angry and physical, and will keep his legs driving to fight for every yard. He is solid receiver and uses his soft hands to catch the ball out in front of him. Williams also does a good job at holding onto the rock as he hasn’t fumbled once in his time at UNLV.
Cons:
For a smaller back, Williams isn’t super elusive and has a hard time juking out defenders. He also doesn’t have the best lateral quickness which means he has a hard time escaping tight spaces between defenders. He occasionally will lack patience and will try to force himself through closed running lanes rather than waiting for a new one to develop. He needs to improve his route running ability to become more of a threat in the pass game, as using his speed alone wont allow him to separate from faster NFL defenders. He also needs to improve his technique in pass pro. He has a good base to work off of, but the hand technique and foot movement needs work to make him a viable option as a pass blocker. His size can also be viewed as a weakness as he will need to put on some more weight before he reaches the next level.
Bottom Line:
Bottom Line with Charles Williams is you are getting a pure runner that has the potential to develop into a complete back. He does a great job running hard and fast in between the tackles with low pad level, but he can also be used as an outside runner, who can stretch the edge or cut back inside for huge gains. He is an angry runner that will fight for every inch and not stop until the whistle is blown and if he can improve his route running ability and his pass blocking technique, that will go a long way into him developing into an every down back. I have given him a grade of 5.6 which results in a 4th round pick.
