The Colorado State Rams have picked up a commitment from Johnnie Williams, a defensive tackle out of Austin, Texas.
Austin (TX) LBJ DL Johnnie Williams (@GerttownJohnnie) says he has committed to #CSU. http://t.co/kZ5030DlVW
— Brian Perroni (@Perroni247) March 31, 2015
The commitment came and went fairly quietly on social media, but Williams has the potential to be one of the bigger pieces in the Rams' 2016 class. While Williams' only other offer comes from Texas State, he has received interest from several Power 5 schools, including LSU, Texas, Oklahoma State, and Missouri. Williams currently holds a three-star rating from 247sports (#39 DT) and a two-star rating from Rivals.
At this point, there's no telling how solid of a commit Williams is. For all we know, he just got back from Home Depot with a bucket of green and gold paint and is going to town on his entire room. Maybe he'll bolt the second a bigger program offers. Commits are a fickle thing, so take the following message with a grain of salt: Rams fans should be very excited about getting this guy in horns.
Williams isn't necessarily locked in at defensive tackle; he has shown the ability to play all along the line in high school and has the tools to develop at both end and tackle. Does it appear likely that he'll end up at tackle? Absolutely, but the potential is there to mold him into a swiss army knife type on the line.
In terms of what he is now, Williams is a mauling lineman who will bring down anyone he can get a fingertip on. He lacks true explosiveness, but has little trouble wreaking havoc in the backfield with a variety of power moves. Williams also does a good job of using his arms to create space when locked up in a block, allowing him to move along the line and make plays even when heavily engaged. There's also an impressive and consistent amount of awareness on his tape. He doesn't overrun plays and frequently keeps his head up when flying into the backfield, allowing him to make quick adjustments on read options, play action, draws, etc...
Here's some highlights of Williams: