Nothing stopping Williams now By John Clayton, ESPN.com
INDIANAPOLIS -- The wait for Mike Williams must have been agonizing. A year ago the former USC receiving star contemplated whether to turn pro.
Reacting to the Maurice Clarett lawsuit, the NFL opened a short window for underclassmen to submit applications to turn pro. Williams submitted. He prepared. Then he waited. The wait hurt. The courts ruled against Clarett and killed Williams' chances to turn pro. Then the NCAA added the double whammy by not allowing him to return to Southern California.
"When it first happened, I couldn't be there with the guys. Of course, that was a difficult time," Williams said of the final blow to his tough 2004 year. "At the same time, those are my guys. Those are some of my best friends on that team. I came to SC because of guys like Shaun Cody and Mike Patterson, who told me that they believe in the program. So, to sit back and watch those guys do well, win a national championship and celebrate -- it's just like being an alumnus, watching your team do well."
Williams has arrived in Indianapolis for the scouting combine to try to reestablish his draft stock. By no design of his own, Williams has distanced himself from Clarett, who opened a door to the NFL that slammed in his face and cost him a year of football. Williams wasn't bitter; this was an education in life. He missed a year of college life and fun. He missed a big paycheck in the NFL last season.
For Williams, everything has been about the wait, and now, his wait is over. He's about to become part of the NFL, and it's up to him to promote enough of a workout report to go as high as he can in the first round. He's had a year to reflect on his strange ride in 2004.
He actually decided to run at the combine and I just saw his fisrt 40. A not very impressive 4.61 some guy from Hampton Jerome Mathis ran his two in 4.32 and 4.31 pretty sick. Troy Williamson from south carolina ran his frist one in 4.38...If anybody has NFL network turn it on soon cuz Mike Williams is gonna run his second one any minute now
I found this morning that the combine is available in streaming video online. Go to redskins.com and click on the link. I'm watching through realplayer since my cable company doesn't let me get NFL Network.
Mike Williams ran his second in 4.59 so basically a 4.60 guy but everyone said that is what was expected of him. Troy Williamson ran his 2nd in 4.40. The three Sooners (Bradley, Clayton and the 3rd guy forgot his name all ran in the 4.43-4.47 range). Roscoe Parrish from the U ran a 4.37.
