Broncos' Javonte Williams Voted No. 10 Running Back in ESPN's Poll of NFL Execs, Coaches & Players
As ESPN continues its poll of 50-plus NFL executives, coaches, and players to create a list of the top-10 players at each position, another Denver Bronco has made the cut.
After just one year in the league, running back Javonte Williams has been voted the 10th-best running back by his peers. Williams actually tied with Los Angeles Chargers running back Austin Ekeler, but Williams somehow won the tiebreaker.
ESPN's Jeremy Fowler wrote it up.
"You can't get him on the ground, can't tackle him," an NFL personnel official said. "That kid is really good. Depends which offense you're running in that [Ekeler vs. Williams] discussion, and Ekeler is really, really good. But with Williams you just can see defenses feeling like, 'I'm tired of tackling him.' He's not as fast as Taylor but has everything else."
Williams produced 903 yards with four touchdowns on 203 rushes as a rookie, which is no small feat while sharing a backfield with established back Melvin Gordon III. Williams tied for ninth in the NFL with 460 rushing yards after contact.
But a few scouts believe he is more than capable as a pass-catcher, too, despite modest numbers there (43 receptions for 316 yards). Expect those totals to rise.
"He's a guy you build an offense around." an NFL offensive coach added. "He does stuff other guys can't do. Such great balance, strong. Can turn a loss into a 10-yard gain."
Indeed, Williams is poised for big things in 2022. But once again, he could be locked in a timeshare with Gordon. How significant that splitting of carries is will come down to head coach Nathaniel Hackett's running-back-by-committee philosophy and how hot Williams can stay.
Hackett favors the RBBC approach but errs on the side of the hot hand. In that sense, Williams can control how much he stays on the field.
As Fowler writes up, Williams has already established himself as a three-down back. He can run, catch, and his physical tenacity makes him a ready-made third-down blocker, too.
Add to that equation the arrival of a bonafide franchise quarterback in Russell Wilson and opponents will no longer feel safe loading up the box to stop Denver's run, as they were wont to do last year. That's going to free Williams up to wreak havoc.
As that anonymous source told Fowler, defenses quickly grow weary of tackling Williams because he simply... won't... go... down.. on first contact. It takes a village to bring down the Broncos' 2021 second-round pick.
It's going to be fun to see how it all shakes out for Williams and the Broncos' offense this year. With safety Justin Simmons checking in at No. 1 in his position voting, cornerback Patrick Surtain II at No. 7, and Wilson at No. 8, the Broncos have so far been represented well in ESPN's polling.
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