Our very own Justin Jaksa was able to talk to some 2024 NFL Draft prospects at the Shrine Bowl this year! Here is his interview with Illinois WR Isaiah Williams:
Justin: I’m here with Isaiah Williams, WR from Illinois, here at the Shrine Bowl. Isaiah, it looked like you a couple nice days of practice out there.
Williams: Yes, sir.
Justin: It looks like you are enjoying yourself out there?
Williams: Yes, sir I am a lot!
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Justin: What are some things you want the pro scouts to know about you as we go through the process the next couple of months leading to the NFL Draft? What are some things we may not know about you’d like the football world to know?
Williams: Yeah, first of all, that I’m a leader. I’m a guy who will come out here with guys I never met, I’mma lead. Every day I’m gonna get 1% better. Yesterday I had some things maybe I didn’t do as well, so first thing I came out today I’mma fix them things. I’m going to correct those things, I will adapt quickly. Those are the two biggest things. And, of course, that I can play ball. I want to show that I’m a complete receiever, I can run routes, I can catch the ball. I can get yards after the catch. Today, I wanted to show that I can block. I had a pretty decent day with blocking. I missed one or two, but I made some progress with that. I just want to show everything: punt return skills, show all my god-given ability.
Justin: So your versatility is a key for you, right? You can catch the ball, you run after the catch, you’re used on jet sweep plays, stuff like that. Is that something that you pride yourself in, is that how you kind of separate yourself from some of the other WRs out there?
Williams: Exactly, that’s exactly how I separate myself. Because I know that there’s so many talented dudes out here man, so many dudes that can play. I’m seeing it with our receiver group, man, so many talented dudes, and they got different playing styles. My biggest thing is I want to be able to everything. So whatever the coach needs from me, you might have that star player that will do this this and that, and they might need somebody that I need you to come in and do this here and there. And whatever the coaching staff needs, I want to be ready for that, I want to be willing to do it. So I just want to be a complete player, and whatever a coach needs from me, I’m able to provide.
Justin: Anybody at the next level you look up to like to watch to compare yourself to or try and model?
Williams: As far as that I just kind of watch everyone. One guy that I really like, I wouldn’t say I really model my game after him, is Davante Adams. I like him just because of his growth. Like he started in the league as a guy who people knew to drop the ball, then became one of the best receivers. That’s the type of stuff that I like to see.
Justin: Those releases off the line?
Williams: Releases off the line, he’s different, and you can tell he’s just a technician. During the summer time, my coach would give us summer projects, and I would literally watch the NFL guys, and that’s one guy, every single year I was in college when I switched to receiver, every single year he made growth. Every year you could see it on film. So I always watch his film and just am amazed at how much better he got every year.
Justin: Seems like at Illinois they used you like another Big 10 guy who had some success this year, Jayden Reed with the Packers. I saw some similarities with some of your game and his game. Are you a fan of his at all?
Williams: Yeah, I’m a fan of his. So that was my first summer project that was the guy who I watched. So when I first switched to receiver, he was still in the Big 10. I had Jayden Reed, I had Tank Dell. Both of these guys were still in college. So when I first moved to receiver, that was the first two guys that I ever watched for my summer project, I did a writeup on them, and I see a lot of similarities, too.
Justin: Well I appreciate you taking some time here today. Wish you the best of luck through the draft process and into the NFL. Thank you very much!
Williams: Thank you!
