Why Todd McShay believes Notre Dame RB Kyren Williams was the Los Angeles Rams’ best NFL Draft pick
It took more time than one might have expected while watching former Notre Dame running back Kyren Williams play last fall, but that no longer matters.
“The draft is not the arrival, it’s the departure,” Super Bowl MVP Cooper Kupp tweeted on Saturday. “Go to work!”
Williams, who was drafted in the fifth round with the 164th overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, will get to start his NFL journey alongside Kupp, as they are both now members of the Los Angeles Rams organization.
Rams head coach Sean McVay, widely considered to be one of the top offensive minds in the NFL, loved the pick, and now Williams has the eyes of the analysts as they do their annual autopsy on this year’s draft.
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On Saturday, ESPN’s Todd McShay listed Williams as his favorite of eight picks the Rams made this weekend.
“The cost of doing Super Bowl-winning business is sometimes waiting until late on Day 2 for a selection. (In the Rams’ case, that is always the case these days.),” McShay wrote. “It’s tough to make too much of a statement on draft weekend with that kind of pick capital. But Williams on Day 3 is a sneaky value.”
The elusive 5-9, 195-pound back was the third selection Los Angeles made, as the vast majority of their picks came on Day 3. By this point, the reigning Super Bowl champions thought it was time to make a trade to grab Williams before it was too late. They sent the Las Vegas Raiders a seventh-round selection to move up 11 picks to grab the Notre Dame star.
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“I like what he brings to the Rams’ offense,” McShay said. “Suddenness. Contact balance. Underrated pass-catching ability. Those are all valuable traits in the NFL. But ball security has been a bit of an issue, and the speed isn’t all that exciting; Williams ran a 4.65 at the combine. Still, a trio of Cam Akers, Darrell Henderson Jr. (who is a free agent in 2023) and Williams could do some damage.”
While the addition of Matthew Stafford at quarterback helped create one of the most dynamic passing games in the NFL last season, the Rams’ ground game was subpar. They averaged just 99 rushing yards per game and did not have a 1,000-yard back.
Sony Michael was their leading rusher, but he is now a free agent. Henderson had 149 carries for 688 yards and five touchdowns last season, and Akers tore his ACL in July. While he returned earlier than expected — just five months after the injury — the results were underwhelming at the end of last season. He averaged just 2.4 yards per carry.
McVay and Co. hope Williams, who is also touted for his impressive blocking abilities, can bring a spark to that position group as they push for another Super Bowl appearance.
“Williams has back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing seasons under his belt and he scored 27 times on the ground over that time,” McShay said. “One of the NFL’s top offenses gets another playmaker.”
