Getty Teddy Bridgewater hands the ball off to Javonte Williams against the Seattle Seahawks on August 21, 2021.
One Broncos rookie is gaining all sorts of hype heading into Week 1, leading starting quarterback Teddy Bridgewater to compare him to a prolific former teammate.
The man in question is rookie sensation-to-be, Javonte Williams. Denver traded up five spots to select the North Carolina star with the 35th overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft, and already it seems as if Williams is living up to the billing.
So much so, he’s being compared to the first back in NFL history to have at least 500 rushing yards and 500 receiving yards in each of his first four seasons. Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, September 1, Bridgewater revealed just who Williams reminds him of.
Kamara 2.0?
“I get asked about Javonte often and I told someone—I don’t want to make it seem like I’m reaching or anything—but he possesses some of those qualities that you see in [Saints RB] Alvin Kamara,” Bridgewater said.
“He’s a guy [who’s] extremely smart, he catches the ball well out of the backfield, he runs good routes, he has a low center of gravity, he’s strong, he knows how to set up blocks. You see that in a guy like him who’s only a rookie, his ceiling is so high. He has great coaching as well. This coaching staff is doing a great job of grooming him and preparing him for what’s in store for this season.”
Williams, who broke the PFF record for broken tackles per attempt (0.48) in 2020, has thoroughly impressed during training camp and the preseason. In his debut against Minnesota on August 14, Williams had five carries for 29 yards — not including a touchdown run chalked off for a holding penalty on Jerry Jeudy.
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No Moment Is Too Big
Drew Lock spoke after the Minnesota game and discussed what the 21-year-old did to stand out during the Broncos’ 33-6 win.
“I said it on the sideline, he’s probably one of the youngest, calmest guys I’ve ever been around. I say young being a rookie but he’s just extremely calm,” Lock told reporters on August 14.
“I haven’t seen him quote-unquote ‘rattled’ or ‘the moment’s too big.’ I know we just played in our first preseason game, it’s not the regular season whatever it may be but being next to him back there it honestly gives me a little more calmness just being able to be relaxed because he knows his job, he knows what he needs to do and when he gets the ball in his hands he runs pretty hard.”
Javonte Williams is the best RB in the NFL Draft
It seems like Denver’s quarterbacks aren’t the only ones Williams is impressing. ESPN’s Dan Graziano revealed the former North Carolina track star as his pick to be Denver’s surprise package. Graziano mentioned Broncos fans shouldn’t be shocked if Williams is the No. 1 running back “sooner rather than later.”
“The Broncos have been impressed with their second-round pick and project to use him a lot in his rookie year,” Graziano said in his column.
“Melvin Gordon remains an impediment to the clear-cut lead back role for Williams, and the Broncos are likely to use both of them early in the season, assuming good health for both. But there are plenty who expect Williams to perform in such a way that renders the competition moot. He should get a lot of work.”
Without Williams — who led the nation in broken tackles last season — Denver had the 31st ranked offense in the National Football League, according to PFF. If he can become anything like Kamara, Bridgewater and Broncos Country will be very, very happy.
Follow Patrick Djordjevic on Twitter: @Patdjordjevic