Mike Williams is Making the Most of "Last Chance"

Discussion in 'Tennessee Titans and NFL Talk' started by Dangermode, May 10, 2008.

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  1. Dangermode

    Dangermode A New Era has Begun

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    PFT on Mike Williams

    From PFT:

    On Friday, word came that former Lions receiver Charles Rogers — the No. 2 overall pick in the 2003 draft — is likely to sign with Montreal of the CFL. And now there’s an update on Mike Williams, the No. 10 selection in 2005, who also was drafted by the Lions.

    Williams is a member of the Titans, and he knows that he’s down to his last chance in the NFL. He blames his struggles on the fact that he missed the entire 2004 season after jumping into the NFL draft after Maurice Clarett successfully sued the league for early entry — and then being S.O.L. after an appeals court reverse the ruling. Because Williams had hired an agent, the NCAA wouldn’t let him return to USC.

    “I think what I lost the most wasn’t anything football related; it was the structure,” Williams told Terry McCormick of the Nashville City Paper. “Being a part of a routine and having a regimen and having a set schedule of being here for how long and being there for how long. That was my main thing that I struggled with for awhile. I struggled with it.

    “I got better about it at the end of my first year, but the second year I got right back into [being late]. It was the structure. That was the main thing that hurt me, just the structure and waking up and commitment. What do they call it? Being a pro. Having a year off from that, that was the main thing that hurt me.”

    Another thing that hurt Williams was his appetite. He has looked more like a tight end than a receiver during his three years of bouncing from the Lions to the Raiders and finally to the Titans. At 270 pounds when he came to Tennessee, coach Jeff Fisher told him that if he didn’t get in shape he’d be out the door.

    Williams says that he has lost more than 30 pounds, and that he’s about ten away from his playing weight at USC. He thinks that his progress might have been a factor in the team’s decision not to select a wideout early in the draft. (The Titans picked Lavelle Hawkins of Cal in the fourth round.)

    “I couldn’t control the draft. I didn’t know if they would take a receiver at No. 1. I just had to control what I could control and that was me coming back in shape and that would let them know that, ‘Hey, we might not have to draft one [early].’ I’m not saying that the way I came back made their decision not to draft one, and I’m not saying it did. But it didn’t matter if they drafted one or not, I’m going to compete regardless.”

    More importantly, he’s showing up on time. He’s even coming in early.

    And that’s fitting, given that it’s getting late for him to show that he can play at the NFL level.
     
    • Pigeon Bomb Pigeon Bomb x 1
  2. GoTitans3801

    GoTitans3801 Forward Progress!

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    That story is just a quote from a city paper story. Generally, with PFT, it's more productive to just post the link to the actual story.
     
  3. vslyke

    vslyke In Dinger We Trust

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  4. goTitans.com

    goTitans.com A living legend. Staff

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    SUMMARY: Mike Williams, who was the 10th selection of the 2005 draft, has already been released by the Lions and the Raiders. When he signed with the Titans, he weighed 270 and was out-of-shape. As the season ended, he was told by Coach Jeff Fisher to get in shape or he'd be released again. As OTAs began this week, Williams reported in at 240 and hopes to start training camp at his college weight of 230. OC Mike Heimerdinger likes the potential Williams has. "He’s an amazing talent. For a big man to run like he runs," Heimerdinger said. "He’s got great hands and he’s run real good. The problem with Mike is he’s got to be able to do it more than two days in a row. He’s got to get in shape and make sure that he’s here. Talent-wise, he’s very talented and can do a lot of good things."

    View full article
    What do you think about this story? post your comments below.
     
  5. titansfan4eva24

    titansfan4eva24 VY 4 Life

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    if he can play like we all know he can...we will have one hell of a bargin
     
  6. desfletcher316

    desfletcher316 Occasional visitor

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    Glad to see he's finally putting in the effort to match his talent.
     
  7. TitanJeff

    TitanJeff Kahuna Grande Staff

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    This is actually a good situation for Mike Williams. He's only 24. He is on a team who is in need of a #1 WR. And he finally seems to be dedicated to improving himself.

    By reading that article, it makes it sound as if most of his problem has been conditioning. If he's willing to do what it takes to be in the shape he needs to be, he may be a pleasant surprise.
     
  8. jessestylex

    jessestylex DeadGirlsCantSayNo

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    is this guy good?
     
  9. TitanJeff

    TitanJeff Kahuna Grande Staff

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    He hasn't been. But no one doubts his potential.

    He's battled weight issues from his rookie season. I think his attitude has stunk as well. I've read of a lot of USC players who don't seem to want to work once they are in the NFL.

    He knows this is it for him. He either needs to produce or he's selling used cars by September. It may have opened his eyes.
     
  10. Bobo

    Bobo Guest

    I hope he can prove valuable for this year. With guys like this (this includes Lendale and Al), I wonder if at some point they'll have a relapse into not giving a crap.
     
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