James Williams, the former Washington State running back who lives in the Lewiston area, was featured in a New York Times article Friday about players who declare early for the NFL draft and go unchosen.
Williams, who gained 3,090 all-purpose yards for the Cougars, skipped his senior season in 2019 but was snubbed in the 2019 draft and failed to pass tryouts with Kansas City, Washington, Green Bay, Indianapolis, New England and Detroit, for which he played one exhibition game.
He’s now on the roster of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the Canadian Football League, whose 2020 season was scotched by the coronavirus pandemic and whose delayed 2021 season now is set to begin in August.
The Times story, by freelance writer Gordon Witkin, noted the College Advisory Committee had counseled Williams to stay in school, “tellling him that he lacked the size and speed for the pros.” He decided to take his chances anyway, unsure of how much he could expect to improve as a senior in the pass-laden schemes of then-WSU coach Mike Leach.
The article mentions a party for Williams at a Los Angeles-area restaurant on the third and final day of the draft.
“But as they got to the last 20 picks, I started panicking,” Williams told the newspaper.
As the story says, Williams is training young athletes in Lewiston and remains a semester short of a degree in humanities.
“My life’s been dedicated to football for 21 years, but I don’t want to just rely on football,” Williams said. “If it doesn’t work out, that’s a message to find something else I’m passionate about.”
The article is accompanied by four photos of Williams taken by Pete Caster of the Tribune. One of them is a family photo including Williams’ fiancee, Rye Hewett, and their children, Breezy and Rush.
The story also features former Appalachian State defensive back Clifton Duck, whose story is similar and who’s also on the Blue Bombers roster.
Grummert may be contacted at daleg@lmtribune.com or (208) 848-2290.
