Signee Breakdown: Justin Williams

The early signing period is officially in the books, and Josh Heupel's program signed 20 players on December 15th. In this series, the Volunteer Country on

The early signing period is officially in the books, and Josh Heupel's program signed 20 players on December 15th. In this series, the Volunteer Country on Sports Illustrated staff share their full breakdown of each player, complete with bio, former Tennessee player and current NFL player comparisons, and what the Tennessee coaches had to say about each respective signee. Please keep in mind the NFL player comparisons are just a fun look at the potential upsides of each player and are not meant to set unlofty expectations or indicate a career trajectory. 

BIO

Justin Williams

East Paulding (Georgia)

Running Back

6', 200 pounds

What the Coaches Said

Josh Heupel: "Everybody knows our running back situation this year was extremely thin both in numbers and then some guys getting banged up. Felt like we had to add some pieces to that puzzle for the longevity of next year in the program as we're moving forward. Justin's a dynamic player, right? He's got elite physical traits, 6-foot-plus and 200-plus pounds already. A very mature frame. He's going to be a mid-year enrollee. He'll get started with us in January. He is a very smart, charismatic, well-intentioned person. Very focused on his future. From the moment that I talked to him for the very first time, it's striking how mature that he is. That's going to be an added benefit as he comes into this program. Expect him to compete and grow inside of our program extremely quickly. A guy that understands just who he is and what he wants to accomplish and very driven in everything that he does. When we went into the school, I think one of the unique things that just popped out about him immediately is multiple people said, 'We're going to miss him inside of the hallways more than we're going to miss him on the field,' which is saying something because he's a dynamic player. Just so charismatic, and our fans get to know him and the media gets a chance to talk with him, it's striking how mature he is. You've got to have somebody that can carry the rock and be physical with it and then create big plays as well. He's got the ability to play with great pad level, because of his physical size, get plus-2  in some of those short-yardage situations, but also create the home run as well. It all starts with the run game. Our quarterbacks and wide receivers have had elite numbers and sometimes that gets the bulk of the media attention, but it starts with our run game, and adding Justin was a huge piece to this recruiting class for us."

𝙉𝙀𝙓𝙏 𝙇𝙀𝙑𝙀𝙇 » Justin Williams

• Power + speed
• Balance
• Big-play potential

Check out what @akajwill brings to our RB room. pic.twitter.com/d3YiQxOPtC

— Tennessee Football (@Vol_Football) December 15, 2021

Jerry Mack:  First thing, power and speed combination. When you look at Justin's physical attributes, his size, he will automatically step into the room and be one of the most powerful backs we instantaneously have. It is just a compliment to the type of program he comes from, you know, Tennessee has a long tradition of getting great backs out of the state of Georgia, and this is going to continue that tradition. I think the balance Justin has, obviously he has big play potential every time he touches the ball, but one of the things you really enjoy when you watch his film is the power and strength. He has the ability to break those profile tackles from the side, but at the same time, you can see that balance. Even when he gets hit, he is able to get pad plus two, and that means he can get more yards after contact. That is one thing at this level, especially in this league, you are going to have to have the ability to do. When you get a chance to meet Justin, it is like talking to a grown man that has been doing this for ten or fifteen years. He has a certain sense of maturity. He has a certain sense of presence. When he walks into the room, you know he means business, and that is going to be a trickle-down effect, and it is going to be able to enhance our room. 

Volunteer Country's Take

Williams is as close to a total package back that Tennessee could have landed late in the cycle. His IQ and work ethic give him the opportunity to find the field early in this offense. Off the field, he is one of the more impressive prospects we have ever covered. Top of the line in every aspect. His game is continuing to grow, but he is physically impressive and will have an immediate presence in the running back room in that aspect, as Jerry Mack mentioned. Williams probably isn't going to wrestle the job away from Jabari Small, who understands pass protection and has become a solid rusher in his own right, but it would not be a shock to see him producing by the mid-point of the season. 

NFL Player Comparison

Joshua Kelley (San Diego Chargers)- Williams was a hard signee to find a player comp for, but we finally settled on Kelley. Both guys are bigger than the average running back in today's game, but they are still dynamic enough to make a high level impact. Williams and Kelley both have a similar wiggle or shiftiness at the second level, and they are both efficient as pass catchers.  They are tailor made for fast paced offenses that cane keep defenses honest with quick hitters in the run game and leaking running backs out into the open field in the pass game.