Draft Scout Snapshot: DS Rating on 8/24/08: #3 WR, #28/750 Overall, Projected Rnd: 2
2008: The Hall Foundation Award winner as the team MVP, Williams was the only player in the nation to score this season via a rush, reception, kickoff return and punt return...The split end and team captain started all thirteen games, ranking second on the team with 44 receptions (11th on the school single-season record list) for 485 yards (11.0 avg) and four touchdowns... Ranked fourth on the squad with 43 carries for 243 yards (5.7 avg) and three scores... Attempted three passes, completing one for 23 yards vs. Iowa...Ranked fifth in the league with 18 punt returns for 169 yards (9.39 avg) and a touchdown...Placed second in the Big Ten and 28th nationally with 20 kickoff returns for 515 yards (25.8 avg) and a pair of scores...Ranked eighth in the league with an average of 108.62 all-purpose yards per game...Caught 56.41 percent of the passes targeted to him (44 of 78), as seven of those throws were deflected by the opposition (8.97 percent)...Produced 28 first downs among his 44 grabs (61.36 percent), converting 8 of 14 third-down pass plays (57.14 percent)...20 of his catches were good for at least 10 yards (45.45 percent), including six for 20 yards or longer (13.64 percent)...Had key receptions that led to ten Penn State touchdowns and five field goals...Fumbled three times, once each vs. Tennessee, Wisconsin and Oregon State...Williams started 43 of 46 games during his career, catching 161 passes for 1,743 yards (10.83 avg) and nine touchdowns...His 1,743 yards rank 10th in school history and his 161 grabs rank third, topped by teammate Deon Butler's 179 catches (2005-08) and Bobby Engram's 167 (1991-95)...His 55 receptions in 2007 tied Terry Smith (1991) for third on the school single-season record list behind O.J. McDuffie (63 in 1992) and Engram (63 in 1995)...Gained 4,156 all-purpose yards for the Nittany Lions, ranking behind Larry Johnson (5,045 yards; 1999-2002), Curt Warner (4,982; 1979-82) and Blair Thomas (4,512; 1985-87, 89)...Gained 1,095 yards with two touchdowns on 50 kickoff returns (21.9 avg), joining Johnson (1,117; 2000-02) and Kenny Watson (1,509; 1996-2000) as the only players during the Joe Paterno era to gain more than 1,000 yards via kickoff returns...Returned a total of five kicks (three punts, two kickoffs) for touchdowns, a school career record...Added 724 yards and three touchdowns on 66 punt returns (10.97 avg)...Carried 117 times for 594 yards (5.08 avg) and eight scores, as he also completed 1 of 5 pass attempts for 23 yards...In the 2008 Illinois contest, Williams became the first player under Paterno to score a via a rush, reception and kick return in the same game.
Post-Draft Outlook: A closer look at the Lions' picks: Round 3/82 -- Derrick Williams, WR/KR, 5-11, 194, Penn State...Williams said he had the flu during the Combine and participated against the advice of his agent. He called it a bad idea. He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.65 seconds and struggled to catch the ball. But he said he ran the 40 in 4.37 at his pro day. The Lions envision him filling two holes: slot receiver and return man. He returned three punts and two kickoffs for touchdowns in college. One of his mentors is Lions wide receiver Bryant Johnson, a fellow Penn State product. - by The Sports Xchange
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