Oakland’s Williams trying to defy odds

By Anthony Carroll  |   Friday, May 26, 2006  |  Comments( 16 )

Oakland Raiders
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Last season, Oakland Raiders tight end Courtney Anderson weighed in at 270 pounds--30 more pounds than linebacker Kirk Morrison.

The other tight end, Randal Williams, weighed in at 210 pounds--30 pounds less than Kirk Morrison.

So, while Courtney Anderson may fit the tight end mold more closely than his backup, don't count out Randal Williams.

If you have already, chances are he rebelliously overcame the obstacle holding him back.

In 2001, Williams made the Jacksonville Jaguars' final roster as a rookie free agent wide receiver. However, after six idle games with the team, Jacksonville cut ties with the speedster. Two days after his release, the Bronx-native moved onto the Dallas Cowboys, where he would stay for the next three and half years of his career. With Dallas, Williams appeared in 28 games, catching just a single pass in 2004 for a 14-yard gain.

However, like many undrafted free agents, Williams solidified his NFL career through preseason and special teams appearances. In 2002, he made the Cowboys' roster as a free agent flanker, finishing the season as the team's sixth-best special teams attacker. In 2003, he used exhibition-time to hold his roster spot, grabbing seven receptions for 148 yards and a preseason touchdown.

In that subsequent 2003 regular season, Williams returned an onside kick back for a touchdown in an October meeting with the Philadelphia Eagles. Williams recovered the kick at the Eagles' 37-yard-line and ran it back for the Cowboys first score of the game; it was three seconds into the first quarter. To this date, Williams' three-second jolt is penciled in as the NFL's fastest scored touchdown since the introduction of the scoreboard clock.

After the play, his then-head coach, Bill Parcells said, "It was a lucky play. That is totally an unpredictable situation and unpredictable results."

The rest of Williams' career, however, wasn't a situation of luck.

After four years in the NFL as a preseason backup, special teams speedster, and offensive decoy, all of Williams' hard work and patience paid dividends. In the offseason prior to the 2005 campaign, the 6-3 wideout joined the silver and black camp. After making the team as a wide receiver/tight end hybrid, Williams caught at least one pass in eight of the Raiders' 2005 games--regular season games this time. In all, he hauled in 13 passes for 164 yards, including a three-catch Week 17 finale. In late March, Oakland rewarded the 28-year-old's performance with a $600,000 salary for participation in the 2006 season.

Now, this offseason, Deerfield Academy's prep school track star is packing on pounds to compete with Oakland's 2005 starting tight end, Courtney Anderson. Williams has reportedly beefed up both his body mass and blocking skills, while still preserving his track-star status. That same status earned him recognition as one of the fastest prospects in the 2000 draft pool.

Along with Steelers fullback, Dan Kreider, Randal Williams is one of only two active players in the NFL from the University of New Hampshire.

Playing as a wide receiver, running back, and even defensive end at UNH, Randal Williams could have never foreseen his future NFL career.

Randal Williams...starting in the NFL?

Don't tell him he can't.

Anthony Carroll can be contacted at acarroll@realfootball365.com

Get more on Randal Williams at Realfootball365.com
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About Anthony Carroll

Anthony Carroll began writing for RealFootball365.com on Sept. 26, 2005, making him one of the longest tenured contributors to the “365” team. As a senior writer, Anthony has taken on the task of delivering original content to the silver and black faithful year round, despite having to deal...
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