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Why the Indianapolis Colts should draft BYU football’s Jamaal Williams

By Nathan Cunningham

Oct 14, 2016; Provo, UT, USA; Brigham Young Cougars running back Jamaal Williams (21) runs the ball in the third quarter against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Lavell Edwards Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Swinger-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 14, 2016; Provo, UT, USA; Brigham Young Cougars running back Jamaal Williams (21) runs the ball in the third quarter against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Lavell Edwards Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Swinger-USA TODAY Sports /
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It’s no secret that BYU football’s Jamaal Williams is a talented runner. With the NFL Draft approaching, here’s why the Indianapolis Colts should draft him.

BYU football’s all-time leading rusher, Jamaal Williams, has been shooting up draft boards. FanSided’s NFL Draft analyst Tyler Brooke has him as the 25th best player in the draft.

He’ll be making an impact on Sundays for a long time, but the question is: where?

Here’s why the Indianapolis Colts should draft the former BYU football star.

To start, the Indianapolis Colts are aging in the backfield.

In 2016, the Colts main running back was Frank Gore. The 33-year-old took 263 carries for 1,025 yards (nearly four yards per carry). He’s owed $3.5 million next year, but most indications are he’ll be back in Indy.

Still, your lead back can’t be 33/34-years-old.

The Colts’ backup running back was Utah State alum Robert Turbin. Turbin, who ran for 164 yards last season, is now a free agent.

Second-year player Josh Ferguson is still under contract, but he’s more of a receiving back. He caught 20 of 26 targets for 136 yards. On the ground, he averaged just 1.3 yards per carry.

So there’s definitely a need in the backfield.

Next: Underrated BYU football recruits

Enter Williams.

Williams could immediately come in as the No. 2 back. He could learn from Gore, take somewhere around nine or so carries per game, and eventually slide into the starting spot in 2018.

A lot of mock drafts have Indy selecting Florida State’s Dalvin Cook in the first round (14th overall). Cook is a talented runner, but taking Williams might be the smarter move.

The Colts could likely snag the former Cougar in the second round, opening up their first rounder to address another pressing need: offensive line. Indy allowed 2.8 sacks per game last season, and no running back averaged more than 3.9 yards per carry. The Colts were 24th in the NFL in rushing yards per game.

Get a lineman in the first, nab J-Swag Daddy in the second.

For now, Williams (and BYU football teammate Harvey Langi) is preparing for the NFL Combine from Feb. 28 to March 6.

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