{"id":411338,"date":"2011-04-30T20:33:25","date_gmt":"2011-04-30T20:33:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.ghanamma.net\/2011\/04\/30\/packers-add-mackey-award-winner-williams-ap\/"},"modified":"2011-04-30T20:33:25","modified_gmt":"2011-04-30T20:33:25","slug":"packers-add-mackey-award-winner-williams-ap","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/04\/30\/packers-add-mackey-award-winner-williams-ap\/","title":{"rendered":"Packers add Mackey Award winner Williams (AP)"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP)\u2014Some college players have a hard time waiting when their name doesn\u2019t get called as early as they expect during the NFL draft.<\/p>\n

Given D.J. Williams\u2019<\/a>(notes)<\/a><\/span> personal story, that hardly qualifies as adversity.<\/p>\n

Williams survived a difficult childhood to become a standout tight end at Arkansas. Now he\u2019s a member of the Green Bay Packers<\/a> after the Super Bowl champions took him in the fifth round on Saturday.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve been through a lot as a family,\u201d Williams said. \u201cWe\u2019ve come a long way, pretty much from nothing to where we are now. Just hearing my name called today, getting the phone call from the Green Bay Packers was an awesome moment.\u201d<\/p>\n

Having won the John Mackey Award as the nation\u2019s top tight end this year, Williams didn\u2019t expect to wait this long. He thought he might have gone as early as the second round, but realized that his less-than-ideal size for a tight end \u2014 6-2, 251 pounds\u2014 and other perceived deficiencies in speed and strength might have hurt his stock with NFL scouts.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey always says I look a lot bigger on TV,\u201d Williams said. \u201cAnd I think that\u2019s just because I play big. So I\u2019m excited to see what happens.\u201d<\/p>\n

Williams was especially surprised when the Miami Dolphins<\/a> passed on him in the fourth round.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s who I thought was really interested and I was surprised they didn\u2019t pick me, but I feel like I\u2019m in a great situation now,\u201d Williams said. \u201cWhat better place? One of the best quarterbacks in the league throwing the ball.\u201d<\/p>\n

Williams was one of four offensive players the Packers took with their first five picks.<\/p>\n

Green Bay took offensive players with its first three picks Thursday and Friday, then finally went defense on Saturday when they picked New Mexico State cornerback Davon House with their compensatory pick in the fourth round.<\/p>\n

House has been a starter since his freshman year, with 11 interceptions in 49 games. He enters a crowded Packers secondary, where Charles Woodson<\/a>(notes)<\/a>,<\/span> Tramon Williams<\/a>(notes)<\/a><\/span> and Sam Shields<\/a>(notes)<\/a><\/span> form a formidable cornerback trio.<\/p>\n

House tried to pattern his game after one of his new teammates\u2014not Woodson, but Williams.<\/p>\n

\u201cI just watched him all last year and what he does is amazing,\u201d House said. \u201cHe\u2019s a ballhawk and that\u2019s what I feel like I believe I am, a ballhawk, too, and I\u2019m excited.<\/p>\n

The Packers traded down three times Saturday. But the most intriguing pick was Williams, who said his life turned around when his family left what he described as an abusive situation when he was in fourth grade.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe lived in shelters for a while but when we moved into our home and sat there that first night with no furniture in it, but the fact that it was our home in our new life that we\u2019re starting, that\u2019s when it all kind of turned around,\u201d Williams said. \u201cWe have a clean slate, and we can make what we want out of it. With our strong mother and our strong family, we can do what we want.\u201d<\/p>\n

Now he wants to use his stature as an athlete to speak out about domestic violence.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think sports gives us athletes a platform to raise awareness for situations that need to be (raised),\u201d Williams said. \u201cMine was domestic violence, and I had a platform where if I said something, a lot of people would hear it. I thought it was something that could help people out in the long run.\u201d<\/p>\n

On the field, Williams joins a team already stocked with tight ends\u2014 including standout Jermichael Finley<\/a>(notes)<\/a>,<\/span> who will be returning from an injury.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat better person to learn from?\u201d he asked?<\/p>\n

Packers tight ends coach Ben McAdoo expects big things from Williams.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe may not have the best measurables, he may not be the tallest guy, he may not be the longest guy, he may not be the fastest guy, but when you turn on the tape he\u2019s one of the best players on the field,\u201d McAdoo said.<\/p>\n

For now, Williams would like to celebrate with his family. But the NFL remains under a lockout and Williams doesn\u2019t have much money, so he suggested they might go to McDonald\u2019s.<\/p>\n

Even when Williams is able to sign, he knows he won\u2019t be able to live extravagantly\u2014but he\u2019d still like to do something to help his mother.<\/p>\n

\u201cBeing a fifth-rounder, you don\u2019t have 50 million bucks to spend,\u201d Williams said. \u201cI just want to get her out of the neighborhood that we are currently in in Little Rock, put her somewhere nice, where she doesn\u2019t have to worry about, did she lock the door every night.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

See the original post:
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