Los Angeles Rams trade up to select Notre Dame running back Kyren Williams in 2022 NFL Draft

The Los Angeles Rams selected Notre Dame running back Kyren Williams, who emerged over the past two seasons, with the No. 164 overall pick in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL Draft. After playing limited snaps as a freshman, he led the Fighting Irish offense with his versatile play.

The Rams traded with the Las Vegas Raiders to get Williams. Las Vegas received the No. 175 and No. 238 picks in exchange.

Kyren Williams, at just 5-foot-9 and 194 pounds, finished his college career with 419 carries for 2,153 yards and 27 touchdowns over 26 games. He also added 78 receptions for 675 yards and four touchdowns.

A former four-star plus recruit in the class of 2019, he was the No. 295 overall player in the nation per the On3 Consensus, a complete and equally weighted industry-generated average. The St. Louis, Missouri native also ranked as the No. 26 running back and No. 5 player in his home state after playing at St. John Vianney High School.

NFL draft analysts on Kyren Williams

NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein broke down what Kyren Williams can bring to the NFL in his recent scout of the running back’s draft profile. The analyst compared the Notre Dame product to longtime playmaker Dion Lewis, who played a key role for the New England Patriots for many years.

The NFL.com scout pointed out that he brings great NFL attributes which could help him land on a roster and make an impact for his new team.

“Fiery team leader and combative runner who leaves it all out on the field,” wrote Zierlein. “Williams has been a worker bee with a willingness to do the heavy lifting on all three downs and has premium third-down talent both in blitz pickup and as a route-runner out of the backfield. The Patriots’ usage of James White, Dion Lewis and Brandon Bolden might be the blueprint for how to utilize Williams in the NFL.”