Rookie Scouting Spotlight: Maxx Williams, TE Minnesota
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Maxx Williams, TE Minnesota
Height: 6’4″ (unofficial)
Weight: 250 (unofficial)
40-yard dash: 4.55 (projected)
NFL Comparison: Kyle Rudolph
Maxx Williams is a redshirt sophomore who has played in 25 career games. Williams totaled up 61 receptions (seventh all-time for a TE in Minnesota program history) for 986 yards (16.16 YPC) and 13 touchdowns. Williams scored 8 of those touchdowns his sophomore year which was, in itself, a single-season record for a Minnesota tight end.
Positives:
– Has the size to be a complete tight end, and is not “maxed out” physically, He will continue to grow into his frame
– Already a great inline blocker
– Extremely athletic in all facets of his game
– Very good body control, can track, adjust and position himself in the open field or in contested situations and make difficult catches outside the frame of his body
– Fluid, sharp route running
– Finishes blocks, and generally plays with an excellent motor; works until the whistle
– Has a good first step, drives his legs consistently through contact both coming off press and while engaged as a blocker
– Has admirable an admirable bloodline (from the Star-Tribune)
“His parents were both Gophers athletes. Rochele Williams (nee Goetz) was a four-year volleyball letter-winner. Brian Williams played three seasons with the Gophers before playing center for the New York Giants from 1989 to ’99.
Brian’s father, Bob Williams, was a starting quarterback at Notre Dame in the 1950s. Rochele’s father, Ron Goetz, had a brief stint as a running back for the Gophers, and her brother, also named Ron Goetz, was a fullback and linebacker at Minnesota in the late 1980s.”
– Was used at more than tight end – slot, H-back, fullback, etc. – no position is foreign to him
– Productive career as a collegiate player
Negatives:
– Needs to add upper body strength, unlikely to test well on bench in Indy
– Misses some blocks in the run game, needs refinement in his understanding of offense
– Can get overextended at times and, while he operates with good motor, will fall off blocks occasionally due to balance issues
– Has above-average, but not great speed until proven otherwise
– Young and inexperienced
AWARDS
– First-team All-Big Ten TE in 2014
– Second-team All-American TE by AP
– 2014 Mackey Award Finalist for best TE in college football
– All-Big Ten Academic first team, Capital One Academic All-American
. . .
Draft Projection: Rounds 1-2
