I've been intrigued by Baylor wide receiver Terrance Williams early in the pre-draft process. I'm even more intrigued after hearing him speak today at the Combine.
He had 97 catches last year and led the nation with 1,832 yards as well as a dozen touchdowns.
Williams is considered a raw talent with elite speed. His speed is his strength, while his route running is a clear weakness. Let's call him the more productive Stephen Hill of this year's crop, and he's currently rated by our friends at NFLDraftScout.com as a potential second-round pick.
Anyway, he was asked about the perception that he only ran go-routes straight down the sideline at Baylor. After saying that he thinks people will be surprised what they see when they ask him to run more routes than were required of him with the Bears, Williams' confidence was tremendous.
"As far as just running straight, I'm faster than you so why not?," Williams said.
That's the kind of playmaking attitude and cockiness I think the Patriots could use on the outside at receiver. Will Williams be able to become a polished NFL route runner? I don't know, but I'd like to see him try to in New England.
Williams also has questions about "chirping" when he doesn't get the ball and being a diva receiver. Of course Randy Moss was a diva receiver for the Patriots, and he worked out OK for a while. Not that I'm comparing Williams to Moss by any means, but teams tend to find a way to deal with diva receivers who make plays.