Wide receiver Troy Williamson has been a tease ever since Vikings fans heard about the South Carolina speedster prior to the 2005 NFL draft. At least one pre-draft expert described Williamson as the best player available in the entire draft. When the Vikings came to their turn to pick at No. 7, guess who was still available?
Since his arrival in Minneapolis Williamson has shown extraordinary speed and ability to make big plays while sometimes dropping passes and fighting through injuries. At 23 and with only a small dose of NFL game experience, there is considerable optimism Williamson will become a consistent shock and awe weapon on an offense that used to feature the explosive Randy Moss at wide receiver.
In the Vikings’ win over Carolina on September 17, Williamson had his first NFL 100 plus yards receiving day catching six passes for 102 yards, including a 30 yard reception. Last Sunday against the Bears he caught four passes for 39 yards.
As a rookie last season Williamson ranked third among NFL rookie receivers in yardage and had two of the Vikings’ four longest receptions at 56 and 53 yards. That seemed like a tease from Williamson’s days in high school and college in South Carolina. In high school he won the state track championships in the 100 and 200 meters while earning a football scholarship to South Carolina. At run oriented South Carolina, his opportunities to catch passes were limited but as a freshman he averaged 28.9 yards per reception.
Williamson has impressed his Viking teammates including quarterback Brad Johnson. He noted Williamson’s improvement in coming off “jams” and running more effective routes. “He has improved tremendously from last year,” Johnson said. “He has become much more of a complete receiver.”
Viking safety Tank Williams was impressed with Williamson’s work ethic last summer. “I remember being out here in the off-season when everybody else was gone and training on their own,” Williams recalled. “He was here every day with the wide receivers coach, working on routes and things like that, trying to get back from when he had the off season surgery (abscess removed from left hip). He is a hard worker (and) wants to be good. He wants to get better each and every week, and so you can really see the progress taking place on the field.”
Johnson agrees with Williams. “He (Williamson) listens,” Johnson said. “He works hard. He’s fun to play with.”
Trailing the Bears 19-16 last Sunday, Johnson went to Williamson on two of the last three plays of the game. On second down Williamson dropped a ball that would have given the Vikings a first down on the Bears’ 40 yard line. On fourth down and two yards to go the Vikings surprised the Bears when Johnson tried a long pass to Williamson but the ball was over thrown.
Dropped balls this season and last have sometimes characterized Williamson’s play. Williams said there is a “lot going on in a young player’s head” and that a receiver can become much more reliable in catching balls through drills, experience and focus.
“He really doesn’t let stuff get to him,” Williams said. “You can see on the field, if one play doesn’t go his way he just keeps battling back and trying to get another big play later in the game. In this league with all the great players you got to play against, you really got to have resolve and he really has shown that.”
Johnson talks about Williamson’s explosiveness, whether it’s on short or long pass routes, or just the threat of him making a big play and how that may increase opportunities for the offense. “Good things happen when he is on the field and he makes us a better team,” Johnson said.