5 best landing spots for Kyren Williams
Former Notre Dame star running back Kyren Williams likely won’t be the first or second running back to have his name called in this spring’s NFL Draft, but could very easily be the third or the fourth. He doesn’t have an ideal size or breakaway speed, but there isn’t necessarily a weakness in his game either.
He’s not the ideal running back in terms of a draft prospect, but he certainly has the skills that should improve someone’s offense. Where would his best chances of success in the NFL be? And which teams would make the most sense to draft Williams?
Here are five of the best potential landing spots for Notre Dame’s two-time leader.
Related:
Best photos of Kyren Williams at Notre Dame
Every Notre Dame leading rusher since the start of the Lou Holtz era
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With the way things are set up in Arizona as Kyler Murray is seemingly furious with his bosses and I’m not sure Kliff Kingsbury could come out of a cardboard box I’m not saying I’m rooting for Kyren Williams to leave here, but it would definitely mean for an opportunity. The Cardinals are running out of a lot of salary cap space this offseason and Eno Benjamin, who rushed for all of 118 yards last season, is their best running back (Murray rushed for over 400 yards). All of this sets up the perfect storm to draft a second- or third-round running back who can play all three downs.
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How bad was the Texans’ running game in 2021? Rex Burkhead, yes that same Rex Burkhead, led them on the ground with 427 yards. The Texans need a major upgrade in the running game and although he is 20 pounds lighter than Matt Forte with the Chicago Bears, I can’t help but see similarities in what Williams should bring to the NFL table and it just so happens that Forte’s longtime head coach just got hired in Houston.
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The Dolphins were the third-worst team in the entire NFL to run the ball in 2021 and just hired a head coach in Mike McDaniel who coordinated the 49ers offense that was built entirely on a successful run. There are some upgrades needed in the majority of this offense, but you certainly know what the philosophy will be with the Ends.
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The Titans have the best running back in the NFL in Derrick Henry, but he missed him badly when he got injured and missed half of last season. D’Onta Freemna has handled the majority of the workload in Henry’s absence, but is a free agent and doesn’t provide the same ability in the passing game that Williams certainly would. That wouldn’t mean the maximum number of races, but it could very well mean the most ultimate success for Williams should he end up in Tennessee.
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There’s no running back that matches the style Bill Belichick is looking for than Kyren Williams. Williams can play all three downs, can catch passes out of the backfield, is great at helping with pass protection and, while not the fastest, can definitely make big plays. Do you look at all like James White, Damien Harris, Dion Lewis or the majority of New England’s top fullbacks under Belichick? The fit would be perfect, but a crowded inn in the Patriots backfield makes this one a little harder to predict.