Interview and Player Breakdown of Kenny Williams RB from Texas Tech

Kenny Williams
Position: RB
HT: 5'11" WT: 228

How he fits:
Williams is is a strong RB who can get tough yards and would be a good backup in case Jeremy Hill missed time.  More importantly to this team he would contribute right away on Special Teams, since he excelled there in college. If Cedric Peerman had not been resigned, I thought Kenny would be a great player for the Bengals to target. Now that Cedric is in the fold, he could come in and fight for the 4th RB position with Rex and Wilder Jr. The Bengals have been linked to some other RBs this year, so taking one in the draft is not out of the question. I actually think that smart teams take a RB in the late rounds every year, because you never know when guys could fall of the cliff or when you will find a diamond in the rough.

Kenny's specialty is his special teams work and with guys like Antonio Brown in our division its always nice to have great special teams gunners.  He can also help get the tough yards, when Hill is out, and catch out of the backfield if Gio is out.  It always nice to have depth at the RB and that is something that Kenny Williams can offer them with a later round pick.  He is also a great guy for the locker room, determined to make his mark in the NFL, and an easy guy to coach. These are the things that make late round prospects become NFL starters. He was willing to play LB during his senior year because the team needed help there and the new offensive scheme didn't depend on him as much, that shows you the type of guy he is.

From his Coaches at Texas Tech:

Tech coach Kliff Kingsbury and special teams coordinator Darrin Chiaverini both said several times last season that running back Kenny Williams could make the NFL on his special-teams ability. Williams was arguably the Red Raiders’ best in kickoff and punt coverage.

"I’m not against it, at all," Williams said. "Whatever I go in as, I’m going to do that to the best of my ability."

Interview with Kenny Williams:

CT: As far as your switch there at Texas Tech your senior season to linebacker was that more of a Texas Tech need thing, or an Avenue to get to the next level?

KW: Both, you could look at it both ways actually, I felt more Texas Tech needing to fill that position and me being able to do it. So it was really just a team effort kind of put me at linebacker just hope the team, but I'm a running back

CT: I saw that you guys had your pro day a few weeks back but I was unable to find any of the results for that, so just give me feedback on how you felt your pro day went and any of your metrics you were very happy with.
KW:  I'm still looking for my results the only results I have is what I weighed in at an all-day off field things that I did. I weighed in at 232 pounds, 5'9" tall, my arm length was 31", 36 1/2 inch vertical, 9'11" broad jump, and 25 reps on the bench press of 225 pounds.

CT: Did you run the 40 yard dash and you have your time for that, or is that not back yet?
KW: Yes, I ran the 40, but I don't have my results for that yet.

CT: You grew up in Texas, how did you come about picking Texas Tech as a college and I guess just walk me through your process as far as recruiting and how you came to choosing Texas Tech.
KW: What's funny is I always was a Texas Tech fan because a group playing quarterback and you know Texas Tech is the perfect spot to play quarterback. As I got into high school I moved to the running back position then started playing running back and starting getting exposure there. When teams started coming at me and when Texas Tech came into the picture I wasn't really considering them because Mike Leach was there running the "air raid" and all that good stuff. As a running back you don't want to be there doing that, so Mike Leach got out of that system and coach Tubberville came into the picture and, you know, him coming from the SEC he loves running backs and loves running the ball. My thinking there was that's the type type of offense he's going to bring to Texas Tech, and when they recruited me to Texas Tech the running backs coach loved me and felt like I would fit in great with the offense that they were trying to come up with and that's I got the Tech.

CT: Was there a difference in the offense once Tubberville left and you had Kingsbury, did they change it much for you?
KW: I mean it was starting to we were starting to run the ball and then two years later Tubberville ends up going to Cincinnati and Coach Kingsbury comes in and basically brings the "air raid" back. That's why that move to linebacker wasn't that big of a deal to me, because we didn't run the ball as much and I felt like I showed NFL scouts that of course I can catch the ball out of the backfield and make plays with it. Moving to linebacker I was just trying to expose a little bit more of my versatility.

CT: Well, that makes sense a lot of NFL teams have that what they call third-down back, or that guy that can catch out of the backfield so I think it's good that they were able to see that. A lot of your running there at tech it seems was power running for you as well do you feel like you fit better as an early down thumper, or an all-around back, or where do you see yourself fitting in the NFL?
KW: Eventually growing into it all down back, when I get there I'll be start out however they need me to and I figure I'll just work my way up to where I want to be and if that means coming in as the third-down back, then I'll do that I'll make the most of it and I'll embrace it. And I'll handle it from there.

CT: Now, what are your plans as far as the draft, do you have somewhere you going to be when the draft is going on, do you have plans for that are ready?
KW: I'll be home in Pflugerville, Pflugerville Texas, just watching the draft of my family and hoping for the best.

CT: I didn't know if you and some of the other tech players were going to be together during it, but it seems like you're going to be hanging out with the family, which is good.
KW:Yes, I'll be hanging with the fam, make it a family event.

CT: You grew up in Texas, did you playing football or whole life in Texas, did you always live in Texas, I know you were born there but?
KW:Yeah, born and raised, played football here in Texas since I was about six years old and I grew up in Pflugerville Texas. I've been here all my life, went to Pflugerville-Hendrickson high school.

CT: Do you have a favorite Texas barbecue spot?
KW: Texas barbecue, man my favorite Texas barbecues my dad's man, (laughter) he makes the best Texas barbecue ever, but if I had a choose a place man I'd have to say, I don't know, something like Rudy's.

CT: Do you have a favorite NFL team, are you a Cowboys fan, or do you outsource for your NFL favorite?
KW: I did have NFL favorites, but you know ever since the transition of college to hopefully playing in the NFL I really just all have a favorite team because I could end up playing for anybody. If I have to say someone it would be the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. You know, that was the first team that I really just grew up on.

CT: You must have some affection for those creamsicle jerseys?
KW: (Laughter) I actually like them man, it's pretty swaggy.

CT: I like them to, I think they stand out that's for sure. CT: Have you had any experience playing on special teams at Texas Tech, have you done that before is a something you're comfortable with?
KW: Oh yeah, I played all special teams all throughout my college career. Special teams is like second nature to me.

CT: What position did you play, were you the gunner, or what role did you play on special teams?
KW: on punt team I was personal protector, on punt return the kind of moved me around depending on the week, usually I was the guy going for the block or setting up the big block, on kickoff return I played inside the left tackle, I moved round a lot on kickoff too I was really the feature guy on special teams.

CT: Were you like the captain?
KW: es, I was a captain

CT: If you had to pick your biggest strength as a running back, what would you say that is?
KW:My biggest strength… I have to say awareness of the field.

What's your biggest weakness, or area you would like to improve as the process goes along?
I don't necessarily have one area that I would like to improve on I just have, I say, I try to improve on everything if I could. I don't necessarily have one thing I can pinpoint.

I didn't know if there was one thing that your coaches heavy work on more frequently, but that makes sense just kind that try to better the entire prospect.
KW: Exactly

CT: At your pro day were there any of the NFL teams that you saw there that maybe spoke to you afterwards that seemed interested, or do you have any grasp of any teams that want to bring you in for a workout?
KW: The teams that talked to me after my pro day the Patriots and the St. Louis Rams, those were the teams that were most interested. I talked to them both quite briefly after my pro day other teams came by to chat, but I think those two teams were the ones most interested.

CT: Same question at the NFLPA bowl were there any team scouts that were specifically speaking to you there?
KW: No, I kind of just talked to everyone at the NFLPA bowl and they had interview set up and we just go talk them, but I feel like it was everyone that they were talking to cited necessarily think that it was much of from an interest point I have to talk about that my agent, but the NFLPA bolw kind of everyone at the table.

CT: How was it in Lubbock for you and what was your favorite memory at Tech?
KW: Lubbock…Ah....favorite memory I have to say I have a lot of memories from Tech man.

CT: How was it to play "Jerry's World" is it so much different as a player in that stadium compared your normal home games, or what's the feel from a player's perspective of playing in AT&T Stadium?
KW: Man, I love "Jerry's world" it feels great playing there I mean I've never been a spectator and "Jerry's world" but the only perspective I have is being a player and I love playing there I think it's a great atmosphere. You don't have to worry about any issues with the weather, so it was great there is always a great turnout because, you know, even if the people aren't there watching the game they want to be in there it's like an amusement park.

CT: I've actually been to the last couple Texas Tech versus Baylor at AT&T Stadium, so it's definitely you end up catching yourself watching the game in the Jumbotron and you have to force yourself to keep your as on the field.
KW: Yeah man, it's amazing I love it

CT: Is it anywhere that people can look you up, or find you where your training, or any place that people can get more information about you?
KW: I'm on Twitter quite often, so I'll be posting a lot as a kind of path to the draft type of thing. People can go check me out on Twitter @kennywill34

CT: Are you training at the facility right now, or you just working out at Texas Tech?
KW: I just got done training out of Michael Johnson's facility in Dallas and from here on out I'll be at Texas Tech training.

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