Former Alabama linebacker Tim Williams open about his past at NFL Combine
Former Alabama linebacker Tim Williams made no bones about it--he’s made mistakes in the past. Thought to be one of the best pure talents in this year’s draft class, off-the-field incidents are the main concern for NFL scouts on Williams.
Williams had a fair share of disciplinary problems at Alabama, most recently a gun-possession arrest in October that saw him miss the first half against Kentucky. Saturday at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis, he also confirmed to reporters that he failed multiple drug tests during his college career.
“I’m a young player. I made decisions that I grew from,” Williams said Saturday. “It’s all about being a man, owning up to your situations, owning up to your mistakes. I’m not here laughing around joking. I know I’ve got something to prove. I’m obviously behind the 8-ball so I’m here to prove not only to myself but to every organization that if they take me, they’re going to get the best player here.”
On talent alone, Williams would be a lock to be selected in the first round of the NFL Draft on April 27. The 6-foot-4, 252-pound outside linebacker ran a 4.68 in the 40-yard dash on Sunday. Last season, he tallied 16 tackles for a loss, 12 quarterback hurries, nine sacks and two forced fumbles en route to earning second-team All-American honors.
However, issues with his character have caused enough alarms that Williams is not projected as a first-round pick by several NFL Draft analysts. Williams gets that, and that’s why he’s so open to talking about his past.
“It’s going in and being completely honest. It’s a billion dollar industry. They’ve done their homework. They know everything about you,” Williams said. “You can’t go in there and be dishonest because the first impression is the last impression. That’s what I’ve been doing a great job of since I’ve been here, going up and being honest with every team. So far, they’ve respected me for that. Just going in there and being openly honest about everything because they know what I can do on the field.”
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So far the linebacker said NFL teams have mostly asked if he has learned from the events and how he plans to move forward in the future. While he’s not shying away from questions, Williams not hesitant to state his case for being a first-round pick either.
“Because I’m a champion. I want to win. I hate to lose,” Williams said. “I just know that not too many guys can do what I do. I can get down in a 3-point stance and rush the passer. I can stand up in the 2-point stance and be able to do the same.
“I have a lot of moves as a pass rusher. I’m not a bull rush guy. I’m not a finesse guy. Some tackles don’t know what I’m going to do when I get up there. I can drop. I’m an all-around competitor. It doesn’t matter how many plays you give me. You can give me two plays, three plays. I’m not going to pout about it. I’m still going to go out there and perform because the game of football is bigger than me. The organization is bigger than me and we’re all out there trying to win the game.”
On top of displaying a growth in maturity, Williams is also trying to show NFL scouts that he has improved as an overall player as well. After serving as a third-down specialist early in his college career, Williams took more of a complete role on Alabama’s defense last season, staying on the field for more than just pass-rushing opportunities.
He says coming back for his season last year has helped him expand his game and will make him more valuable at the next level.
“Just realizing my overall potential out there and making plays for us. (Being a pass rusher) wasn’t always required because we had other players that could step up, and that’s what you need to build a championship team,” Williams said. “You have to trust other guys to go up and make plays. I know I have complete confidence in my ability to go out there and be an every down player and do what needs to be done to win a game.”
