Denver Native (Carol)
02-23-2009, 09:25 PM
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2009/feb/23/linebacker-worrell-williams-dreams-of-joining-dj/
The list is there every day, a trophy-shelf slice in a family history.
Prep phenom. High school All-American. The one guy NFL Hall of Famer John Madden once said could go straight from high school to the pros. First-round draft pick. NFL starter.
Yes, that's Broncos linebacker D.J. Williams right there.
And Worrell Williams, his brother and pro-linebacker hopeful, wouldn't have it any other way.
"It's never been anything but great to be D's brother," Williams said. "Some people ask me if it's a burden or if it's hard. Not at all. If I was not his brother, things may not have happened for me, you probably wouldn't be interviewing me right now. My belief is it's opened up a lot of opportunities for me, and I embrace that, I'm not going to shy away from that, he's my brother.
"He paved the way for me and I want to be sure I don't mess up. Do my thing and follow on that path."
And, truth be told, Worrell Williams is hoping that path could somehow lead to the Broncos' Dove Valley complex.
The University of California-Berkeley product heads into the NFL workout season among the top 10 linebackers on many team's draft boards at what happens to be the deepest position in this year's talent pool.
He's smart, studies and understands the game. Game video shows he's also explosive, versatile and - he is quick to point out - prepared to play in the Broncos defense if the team wanted him to.
"I would love that, that would be a dream come true for all of us in our family," D.J. Williams said. "But I'm just happy he's my younger brother, following my footsteps in some ways, but really making his own path at the same time."
"They already have Boss and Champ (Bailey) on their team, so maybe they'd like another set of brothers," Worrell Williams said. "We've talked about it, and (D.J. Williams) is like, 'We might be calling your number on that Saturday or Sunday.' That's my dream, to play with him. He said he'd love it. That would be sweet. They're going to the 3-4, and I just came out of the 3-4."
The Broncos are indeed going to a 3-4 look on defense under first-year coach Josh McDaniels. And Worrell Williams played in the Bears' 3-4 look this past season in addition to playing both inside and outside linebacker during his time at Cal.
He said he played at about 255 pounds when he was on the weak side - on the opposite side of the formation away from the tight end - and also played in the middle at about 244 pounds.
"I think he'll be a great player," D.J. Williams said of his brother. "He's a true (middle) linebacker type. He's short, but he's stocky and very athletic. And you can tell by the way he's played he has football intelligence . . . I never really pushed football with him or anything like that, he just started playing. I'm just happy he's had a great career in college and just to see the way he's handled himself and played on the field too is special."
Worrell Williams said he didn't have a formal interview scheduled with the Broncos in Indianapolis, but experience also tells him that's not an indication whether Denver's interested in a player. In part, because McDaniels is expected to run a tight-lipped ship, even inside his own building, the same kind of approach he was a part of in New England.
Patriots coach Bill Belichick keeps most things compartmentalized, with each part of the organization routinely dealing only with the information it needs to get the job done, while the overview, and all the accompanying information, is communicated to only a small, select group.
But even in Mike Shanahan's tenure, the Broncos' top draft picks, including D.J. Williams, often never officially met with team officials before being selected. The Broncos are one of the few teams in draft history to have taken a quarterback - Jay Cutler - among the top 15 picks without having met face-to-face beforehand.
"So, no, I haven't talked to them, don't have anything scheduled with them," Worrell Williams said. "But we all know that's not uncommon. That was D.J.'s thing - he got up on that stage and said, 'I never even talked to the Broncos.' They didn't even look at him. So, maybe God is working His magic, and that's my hope."
"It's been great to see him go through this process because I definitely think it was tough for him sometimes," D.J. Williams said. "Whenever you have an older brother that maybe is successful in something, people sometimes put your names together that you're going to be as successful doing the same things. Wherever he went sometimes, I know people said, 'He's D.J.'s younger brother,' but I think he's making his own name, he's his own man.
"I mean, I won't mind when I'm 'Worrell's older brother' because that means he's been great and successful in whatever he does."
The list is there every day, a trophy-shelf slice in a family history.
Prep phenom. High school All-American. The one guy NFL Hall of Famer John Madden once said could go straight from high school to the pros. First-round draft pick. NFL starter.
Yes, that's Broncos linebacker D.J. Williams right there.
And Worrell Williams, his brother and pro-linebacker hopeful, wouldn't have it any other way.
"It's never been anything but great to be D's brother," Williams said. "Some people ask me if it's a burden or if it's hard. Not at all. If I was not his brother, things may not have happened for me, you probably wouldn't be interviewing me right now. My belief is it's opened up a lot of opportunities for me, and I embrace that, I'm not going to shy away from that, he's my brother.
"He paved the way for me and I want to be sure I don't mess up. Do my thing and follow on that path."
And, truth be told, Worrell Williams is hoping that path could somehow lead to the Broncos' Dove Valley complex.
The University of California-Berkeley product heads into the NFL workout season among the top 10 linebackers on many team's draft boards at what happens to be the deepest position in this year's talent pool.
He's smart, studies and understands the game. Game video shows he's also explosive, versatile and - he is quick to point out - prepared to play in the Broncos defense if the team wanted him to.
"I would love that, that would be a dream come true for all of us in our family," D.J. Williams said. "But I'm just happy he's my younger brother, following my footsteps in some ways, but really making his own path at the same time."
"They already have Boss and Champ (Bailey) on their team, so maybe they'd like another set of brothers," Worrell Williams said. "We've talked about it, and (D.J. Williams) is like, 'We might be calling your number on that Saturday or Sunday.' That's my dream, to play with him. He said he'd love it. That would be sweet. They're going to the 3-4, and I just came out of the 3-4."
The Broncos are indeed going to a 3-4 look on defense under first-year coach Josh McDaniels. And Worrell Williams played in the Bears' 3-4 look this past season in addition to playing both inside and outside linebacker during his time at Cal.
He said he played at about 255 pounds when he was on the weak side - on the opposite side of the formation away from the tight end - and also played in the middle at about 244 pounds.
"I think he'll be a great player," D.J. Williams said of his brother. "He's a true (middle) linebacker type. He's short, but he's stocky and very athletic. And you can tell by the way he's played he has football intelligence . . . I never really pushed football with him or anything like that, he just started playing. I'm just happy he's had a great career in college and just to see the way he's handled himself and played on the field too is special."
Worrell Williams said he didn't have a formal interview scheduled with the Broncos in Indianapolis, but experience also tells him that's not an indication whether Denver's interested in a player. In part, because McDaniels is expected to run a tight-lipped ship, even inside his own building, the same kind of approach he was a part of in New England.
Patriots coach Bill Belichick keeps most things compartmentalized, with each part of the organization routinely dealing only with the information it needs to get the job done, while the overview, and all the accompanying information, is communicated to only a small, select group.
But even in Mike Shanahan's tenure, the Broncos' top draft picks, including D.J. Williams, often never officially met with team officials before being selected. The Broncos are one of the few teams in draft history to have taken a quarterback - Jay Cutler - among the top 15 picks without having met face-to-face beforehand.
"So, no, I haven't talked to them, don't have anything scheduled with them," Worrell Williams said. "But we all know that's not uncommon. That was D.J.'s thing - he got up on that stage and said, 'I never even talked to the Broncos.' They didn't even look at him. So, maybe God is working His magic, and that's my hope."
"It's been great to see him go through this process because I definitely think it was tough for him sometimes," D.J. Williams said. "Whenever you have an older brother that maybe is successful in something, people sometimes put your names together that you're going to be as successful doing the same things. Wherever he went sometimes, I know people said, 'He's D.J.'s younger brother,' but I think he's making his own name, he's his own man.
"I mean, I won't mind when I'm 'Worrell's older brother' because that means he's been great and successful in whatever he does."