Keeping an eye on Cardinals' Ryan Williams

[BullheadCardFan]

One week into training camp, it's easier to see why the Cardinals made Virginia Tech's Ryan Williams the 38th player drafted this year.

Williams is wearing No. 34, but no one should confuse him for Tim Hightower, who wore the number last season. Williams' quickness and ability to change directions fluidly while moving at a fast clip separates him from Hightower and 2009 first-round choice Beanie Wells.

"I am a very instinctive runner," Williams said Friday. "If I feel it, I’ll do it. If it’s a cut and I’m running 100 miles an hour, I make that cut at 100 miles an hour."

Per Sando

http://espn.go.com/blog/nfcwest/post/_/id/42290/keeping-an-eye-on-cardinals-ryan-williams

 

[AsUpRoDiGy]

I predict he will take over as starter by season's end.

 

[82CardsGrad]

Campbell said some similar things about Williams yesterday. Said he was "surprised" by Williams' quickness and lateral movement!

 

[Cheesebeef]

i like this.

 

[Krangodnzr]

<-------One of the few people who loved picking Williams at #38

One of my favorite college players over the past few seasons, IMO his ceiling is quite high.

 

[Buckybird]

IMO Williams is a THT clone with his running style & toughness. Sure Tim had some fumbling issues but I still don't think the rook is any better than the old #34...but we'll see. THT had the same ability to cut & was a legit HR hitter in the open field.

Let's see Ryan have runs of 80, 70 & 50 before he's a star in red, because I'm still skeptical he has the speed of THT. I still remember many times, Williams running thru holes in the VT run game just like Timmy Smith did for the Skins in the SB...huge!!! The holes are so much smaller in the NFL.

 

[desertdawg]

Sweetness, I like his patience and how he can wait for it to develop and then he pops through, getting to that 100 mphs. I can hear Chris Berman right now "whop" during the highlights. I'll be waiting for that long TD run, one of those backs that just doesn't want to go down. I think we were lucky with him being there at the 38th pick, but runningbacks in general weren't sought after much this year.

 

[Russ Smith]

I like the kid too, Ingram was my favorite RB in the draft but I was thrilled when we picked Williams.

 

[Krangodnzr]

IMO Williams is a THT clone with his running style & toughness. Sure Tim had some fumbling issues but I still don't think the rook is any better than the old #34...but we'll see. THT had the same ability to cut & was a legit HR hitter in the open field.

Let's see Ryan have runs of 80, 70 & 50 before he's a star in red, because I'm still skeptical he has the speed of THT. I still remember many times, Williams running thru holes in the VT run game just like Timmy Smith did for the Skins in the SB...huge!!! The holes are so much smaller in the NFL.

LOL THT clone? THT has 1/10th Ryan Williams run vision. Williams is much less a one cut and go runner like THT and much more of a slasher, who is good at avoiding tacklers.

 

[WildBB]

Ryan Williams DURABILITY willl be key, going forward. Guy can play, NO DOUBT!

 

[Shane]

LOL THT clone? THT has 1/10th Ryan Williams run vision. Williams is much less a one cut and go runner like THT and much more of a slasher, who is good at avoiding tacklers.

Been several tweets already about him shaking defenders out of their shoes!

 

[40yearfan]

Been several tweets already about him faking defenders out of their shoes!

FTFY.

 

[Seandonic]

LOL THT clone? THT has 1/10th Ryan Williams run vision. Williams is much less a one cut and go runner like THT and much more of a slasher, who is good at avoiding tacklers.

^This^

He's not even close to being a THT clone. He's got more natural ability in his little toe than THT ever dream-pt of having. Barring injury, he is going to be waaaaay better than that fumble waiting to happen.

 

[desertdawg]

The biggest reason I thought Beanie might be the one (to maybe leave) was because William's game is more like Beanies. I like them both. I liked Timmy and his pass protection but I still think he got his biggest gains when we actually had the defense thinking we were gonna pass. Beanie never had that luxury last year, defense saw Beanie and said "Well, now their gonna try and run it." I think the pass protection will now be in the hands of the TEs, a lttle bit of O-line upgrade and maybe even the fullback position. I'm good with what we got now, Timmy was asked to block some big ass dudes on a regular.

 

[DutchmanAZ]

and Timmy did a damned good job most of the time blocking, and had a few really nice runs. Will never forget the TD against the Eagles in the playoffs. Better talent now on the roster. Good luck THT - will still wear the jersey proudly.

 

[desertdawg]

and Timmy did a damned good job most of the time blocking, and had a few really nice runs. Will never forget the TD against the Eagles in the playoffs. Better talent now on the roster. Good luck THT - will still wear the jersey proudly.

True that.

 

[LoyaltyisaCurse]

Watching highlights of Williams, i honestly believe if he doesnt work on the way he holds the ball he is gonna have fumbling problem in the pros too. I SEE A LOT OF EXPOSED FOOTBALL AS his arm appears to swing out a little and is holding the ball a little low.

 

[BullheadCardFan]

I am curious on how well he blocks and can pick up a blitz.

Has anyone seen him in college?

 

[Goldfield]

He is not ever close to a THT clone...

I have loved him after watching all the video on him, once we picked him.

But I do agree, he better tighten up his hold on the ball. He holds it out there some.

 

[Cardiac]

I loved THT as a Cardinal, he gave it his all on every single snap. If they tracked this stat he would have lead the league with helmet to helmet hits, never shied away from anyone. Having said that he doesn't have the same wiggle, vision or shake and bake moves that Williams does.

I am also a bit worried about how he carries the ball and hope fumbling isn't an issue he has to overcome.

 

[Crazy Canuck]

IMO Williams is a THT clone with his running style & toughness. Sure Tim had some fumbling issues but I still don't think the rook is any better than the old #34...but we'll see. THT had the same ability to cut & was a legit HR hitter in the open field.

Let's see Ryan have runs of 80, 70 & 50 before he's a star in red, because I'm still skeptical he has the speed of THT. I still remember many times, Williams running thru holes in the VT run game just like Timmy Smith did for the Skins in the SB...huge!!! The holes are so much smaller in the NFL.

If he was clone he'd been a fifth round pick.

 

[JeffGollin]

One dimension in a Cardinal RB I haven't seen for a long, long while is that proverbial "ability to make the first guy miss" after taking the handoff.

More than most teams, our RB's seem to get tackled, tripped up or slowed down in the backfield far too often.

If Ryan W can use his quicks to hit the hole unscathed most of the time, it should help improve our running attack significantly.

(But before we annoint him Walter Peyton II, he'll have to make everyone feel comfortable with regard to: 1). injuries, 2) ball protection, 3) blitz pickup and 4) pass receiving. If he can do that, then "That's a Bingo!"

 

[THESMEL]

I'm looking forward to seeing him against NFL defenses, If he gets Whiz to balance it up I'm all for it. I think finally it may happen.

The fundamentals of the run game with Kolb and the backs should come first, these last few years it has been sloppy on the Cards, an after thought.

Beanie is looking down field as he should, expecting auto pilot on the QB RB exchange, it just hasn't been there.

It is key if you want the stretch the field pass game Whiz schemes. I have hope we will put the horse before the cart this year?

 

[Duckjake]

One dimension in a Cardinal RB I haven't seen for a long, long while is that proverbial "ability to make the first guy miss" after taking the handoff.

More than most teams, our RB's seem to get tackled, tripped up or slowed down in the backfield far too often.

If Ryan W can use his quicks to hit the hole unscathed most of the time, it should help improve our running attack significantly.

(But before we anoint him Walter Peyton II, he'll have to make everyone feel comfortable with regard to: 1). injuries, 2) ball protection, 3) blitz pickup and 4) pass receiving. If he can do that, then "That's a Bingo!"

Edge did that on a regular basis. The guy was just amazing at suddenly just cutting sideways to make the ubiquitous unblocked defender miss him.

But you are right about TH and CW neither of them seem to have that ability.

One thing about Walter Payton. He didn't had to worry about blitz pickup. The Bears never throw the ball.

 

[jerseyred]

Question are the cardinals ever Going to throw a screen pass to there backs