Alrighty – we’re back! With their pick in the fifth round, the Bills selected Jonathan Williams out of Arkansas. Doc Harper of Arkansas Fight was kind enough to give us some words on the newest power back in the stable. For more on Jonathan, check out their great coverage of Williams – Jonathan Williams Drafted by Buffalo Bills and NFL Draft Profile: Jonathan Williams.
How would you describe Jonathan’s time at Arkansas?
He was great. He was a fan favorite. It was a big thrill when he announced he was coming back for 2015 and it was heartbreaking when he broke his foot before the season and missed the whole thing. He was a team leader, face of the program type of player. Really well respected on and off the field.
What are his strengths/weaknesses?
He was a really solid all-around back. It’s hard to say what his strengths/weaknesses are now because of his injury, but before that, he had nice but not great speed, he was great at breaking tackles, could catch passes out of the backfield. If he hadn’t gotten hurt and played like we all think he would’ve played, everybody here thinks he’d have been drafted far higher than the 5th round. Really, not knowing exactly how good he’ll be coming back from injury is the biggest weakness.
Is there anything fans outside of your team wouldn’t know about him?
He’s a player you won’t have to worry about. There won’t be any off the field issues. He’s just an extremely well-respected player and teammate. Buffalo fans are lucky to have him.
How do you think he’ll fit in with the Bills – particularly in terms of having LeSean McCoy and Karlos Williams ahead of him?
This is a tough one for me as someone who isn’t totally familiar with the Bills. I don’t watch a ton of NFL. All I know is if he plays like the player he was before his injury, he’ll work hard to get on the field and be productive.
Any game(s) we should point fans to as one that he stood out?
I’d probably have to go with the 2014 Texas Tech game. He ran for 145 yards and scored 4 touchdowns on the road. But he was really more about individual plays than flashy game stats. Look at the touchdown he scored against A&M in 2013 breaking tackles on a swing pass or how he changed directions on a touchdown against Florida that same year. Tremendous athlete.
Any stats jump out during his time at school?
I just think the fact that he still ran for 1,000 yards in the SEC for Arkansas at a time when he split carries with Alex Collins and Arkansas really didn’t have any passing game worth mentioning is pretty remarkable.
With his foot injury, have you heard any long-term concerns?
No, every indication is that he should be fine.
Bills Draft Q&A Archive:
Round 1 – Shaq Lawson
Round 2 – Reggie Ragland
Round 3 – Adolphus Washington
Round 4 – Cardale Jones
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