DJ Williamson (and when do freshmen get numbers?)

Submitted by Seth on

Question 1: There wasn't a "Hello:" post for WR/Ath/Track god DJ Williamson that I can find, and Brian has yet to get around to the 2010 Recruiting Profile for him yet.

The book on DJ, as I understand it, is he's a Desmond Howard-sized receiver with Mario Manningham-level speed and Braylon Edwards-level leaping ability. His hands are not considered anything special. Right so far? (this isn't my question).

This is my question: CAN HE PLAY DEFENSIVE BACK?

According to his Scout and Rivals profiles, DJ played cornerback and free safety (rather well, too) as well as receiver in high school, and his defensive plays were featured prominently (along with his "Hey do you think I look like Desmond Howard?" kick returns and reverses) in his Scouting Ohio and other YouTube-searchable videos.

It would seem to me that with the lack of depth at cornerback and deep safety, and with DJ's lack of great height or hands, a guy with his supurb speed and leaping ability would be much in demand on the "dark side," whereas on offense, even given the need for more receivers on the outside, DJ seems destined for a YMRMFSFPA Calvin Bell (though fellow Harding alumnus Mario Manningham might be an optimistic reach).

He was such a quick commit (one junior day did it) that I didn't get a vibe of "play me at WR or I'll go visit all of your rivals." We have been talking him up as a receiver, but I hear no mention of defensive back-ity with regard to DJ Williamson. OTOH: awe-inspiring straight-line speed, good leaps, good agility, returns kicks and not great hands sounds to me more like a Markus Curry. Right now, given the depth at cornerback and free safety, I'd take two Whitleys and a Todd Howard, let alone anything resembling a Curry. I say corner, even if free safety seems like a better fit eventually, because, well, cornerback is cornerback -- you play zone or you stick to your receiver; improvement comes from better reads and pursuit angles.

DJ Williamson: defensive back. I know I'm missing something here. I just want the board to tell me what that is.


Question 2: It was late July last year when the freshmen got their numbers. Any program insiders know when the 2010 roster will be published? I noticed Furman got a number this morning but we're still waiting on a number of freshmen.

Tim

August 2nd, 2010 at 12:54 PM ^

The freshmen got their equipment a few days ago, I believe. They'll certainly all have numbers by the start of fall practice, which is next Monday.

Skiptoomylou22

August 2nd, 2010 at 1:10 PM ^

thats more info and time spent on than anything else ive seen on Deaver since he commited... good work. however i like him as a prospect and ya gotta keep him at wr, he reminds me of AJ Jordan this year. plus theres no rush for him so hes got time.

Hannibal.

August 2nd, 2010 at 1:10 PM ^

Good questions, actually.  Michigan seems to be lacking in speedy players in the defensive backfield, especially at deep safety, and I'm not seeing a lot of great candidates in the near future.  Cam Gordon supposedly had a great spring, but we were talking about him possibly moving to linebacker a year ago because of his lack of speed. 

Space Coyote

August 2nd, 2010 at 1:20 PM ^

DJ Williamson or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Freshmen Getting Numbers

Or at least that's how I read it the first time I read it

As for your first question, your discription sounds an awful lot like a person many of us loved to hate in college and then continued to hate as he screwed over Chad Henne in the NFL.  That player is Ted Ginn.  He was actually a DB according to Rivals and Scout I believe (at least one of them) and, like to admit it or not, was a really good WR in college.

The player you seemed to describe appeared to have better straight line speed rather than reactionary speed according to your description.  DB is very different than WR, in that it is based more off of reaction speed because you don't know the routes before the play.  Also tackling is a big part of it.  In high school players can get away without having great reaction type speed and make up for it with raw speed because the timing isn't great on high school passing routes.  Playing free safety, DJ may have been able to just sit back and watch the football be lobbed from the QBs arm and make up for it.  In college, when QBs have lazer rocket arms and timing is significantly better, it isn't as easy.  To me, like Ted Ginn and Desmond before him, his talents seem to translate better to the WR position, even if he doesn't now seem to have great hands, IME, even adequate hands may make him better at the WR position than a DB spot.

Seth

August 2nd, 2010 at 1:17 PM ^

Cullen Christian wore 24 in high school and at the Army AA game. It's available on both sides of the ball this year, so that one seems pretty obvious.

Courtney Avery and Drew Dileo both wore No. 3. That number is open on both sides of the ball, so either or both could possibly claim it.

Marvin Robinson wore No. 22 at multiple camps he was pictured in (he was No. 2 in high school). Seems as good a guess as any.

Richard Ash wore 54, which is open on defense.

For the rest, here's the available numbers. Good luck:

Wholly Available:

3, 13, 24, 30, 35, 36, 37 ,38, 41, 43,46, 51, 54, 55, 59, 60, 62, 66, 67, 69, 70, 71, 78, 84, 85, 87, 89, 93, 96, 97



Not Available (Used on both O and D)

2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 12, 15, 23, 52, 88



Not Available (Retired)

11, 47, 48, 87, 98



Not Available (Achievement Reward)

1



Available to Exclusively Offensive Player:

4, 14, 18, 25, 26, 27, 29, 31, 32, 39, 40, 42, 45, 53, 58, 68, 73, 81, 90, 92, 95, 99



Available to Exclusively Defensive Player:

9, 10, 16, 17, 19, 20, 21, 22, 28, 33, 34, 44, 49, 50, 56, 57, 61, 63, 64, 65, 72, 74, 75, 76, 77, 79, 80, 82, 83, 86, 91

Seth

August 2nd, 2010 at 4:33 PM ^

Backey's a walk-on.

Jordan Barpal and Jeremy Gallon both wear No. 10 and are slot receivers. Tony Anderson (a cornerback) shares 7 with Brandin Hawthorne (S/LB).

The scout team walk-ons, except those who have made it on the two-deep, often get their number repeated. Nader Furrha (who got 14 when Teric Jones was still a running back) is another example.

Backey, I believe, is on the scout team. His number's available.

Walk-ons whose numbers I noted as not available were safety Floyd Simmons (23), injured DE Will Heininger (39), fullback John McColgan (49), and linebacker Kevin Leach (52).

Jordan Kovacs (32) earned a scholly, I believe.

Lutha

August 2nd, 2010 at 2:42 PM ^

Hopefully he can make defenses respect his speed if he can catch a couple balls over the top.  Wouldn't it be sweet irony if he caught a TD off a flea-flicker against OSU?

WolvinLA2

August 2nd, 2010 at 7:31 PM ^

I'd like DJ Williamson to stay at WR.  For all the receivers we've brought in over the last few classes, few of them are true burners.  Stonum, Stokes and Williamson are the only burner receivers we have (over 5'9"), and the only WR we have committed for 2011 is also not a burner. 

Sometimes you want a WR who can fly down the field, keep the defense honest, or run a nasty reverse around the outside. 

Seth

August 3rd, 2010 at 9:00 AM ^

Furman as 6 is already on the official roster, as are the spring game guys.

FTR:

  • (6) Josh Furman, LB
  • (7) Devin Gardner, QB
  • (17) Jeremy Jackson, WR
  • (23) Austin White, RB
  • (33) Stephen Hopkins, RB
  • (64) Christian Pace, OL
  • (82) Ricardo Miller, WR & recruiting coordinator
  • (83) Jerald Robinson, WR

Magnus

August 3rd, 2010 at 7:07 AM ^

We're not lacking depth at safety.  If you include the incoming freshmen, we have plenty (perhaps too much) depth at safety.  They're all young, but the numbers are there.

wordtoyourmother

August 3rd, 2010 at 9:13 AM ^

I have a fool proof plan for you to get the feshmen numbers, but it all depends on how sneaky you are and how good your hiding skills are.  Let me know if your interested.