With the 101st pick in the draft, your Tampa Bay Buccaneers have selected WR Mike Williams out of Syracuse. Don't know why, but I'm about as excited about this selection as any other one the Bucs have made. Well....of course I know why: the Buccaneers landed a receiver with good size (6-2, 220 lbs), great hands, and a world of ability in the fourth round of the draft. Todd McShay just lauded the pick, dubbing Williams as a guy with first-round talent.
Williams is an ideal red-zone threat....a guy who catches the ball with his hands at the highest point and can take a hit pretty well. He's shown the speed get a step on college defenders on fades and deep routes and the speed to run away from defenders on mid-range routes. He caught a staggering 16 TDs in 19 games in 2007 and 2009 with the Orange. Those numbers would have been higher except he missed the 2008 season due to academic issues and quit the team midway through the 2009 season, prompting some to wonder if he was a head case with too much baggage to risk a premium pick on. However, given his ability and potential, Williams makes perfect sense for the Buccaneers at 101.
Suddenly, this wide receiver corps is morphing from a collection of unproven and unknown young guys and underachieving vets to having two big, prototypical young wideouts dripping with talent and upside. Both Benn and Williams bring big-play ability and will be definite fits in Olsen's vertical-based passing game.
For those who want more info on Williams, check out this Q&A with the National Football Post.