Today UM picked up the commitment of a very good running back who used to be committed to OSU, just in case you didn't know. Essentially, OSU didn't trust Kareem's commitment status and didn't want to finish the class empty handed at running back, and rightfully so. Next year we are going to start the season with a group of backs, none of whom have ever started a game at the position and are very much unproven. Enter Antonio Williams. Williams is a 5'11, 211 lb running back from the Carolinas with a highlight tape that shows him clobbering local defenders. With both backs being committed, this is a win-win for both teams. Though Kareem Walker is ranked the number one back in the 2016 class, he has tumbled quite a bit in the recruiting rankings of most services. After looking at highlight reels of both backs, you can see both of them are vastly different. Walker, despite his 6'0 and 200+ lb frame, is not a power back. He is much closer to a speed back than a power running back. When you think of Walker, think of Derrick Henry. Despite the size of both players, they aren't going to come at any defender's chest. They would much rather run through arm tackles and around you than through you. Walker is your prototypical one-cut back that is coveted by Bama. The size, though intimidating, doesn't really mean a thing in the way they play the game. Williams, on the other hand, is your classic I-Formation tailback. You see Williams play and you think of an old school player like Earl Campbell. Watching his highlight tape reminded me of Mike Webber, who ran into defenders instead of running around them.
Both players have very high ceilings. In the right systems, both players could more than flourish. If Crazy Harbaugh is able to put together a good group of offensive linemen who could open holes and reach the second level (linebackers), Walker could be a Doak Walker award finalist. It's just the nature of his game. He can make safeties and corners miss, as well as run around them. His cut is absolutely dangerous. But, how does this play into general recruiting rankings? We now live in the world where scouts are madly in love with the combination of size and speed. Scouts fall in love with the measureables of a prospect more than the actual tape. Walker has those measureables. He has the speed and size. He, like Derrick Henry, fell in recruiting rankings because they are one-cut backs. They aren't incredibly agile and don't exactly use their size on anyone but cornerbacks. But, despite that, 9 times out of 10, those players will always be ranked over traditional power backs like Williams. Williams will continue to remain under the radar because of the level of competition in his tapes. Only time will tell if Urbs made the right move.
