left to right:
Hassan Haskins/Eureka,
Chase Allen/Nixa,
Jameson Williams/Cardinal Ritter
Tonight, and thru Friday and Saturday, many men's dreams will come true as they hear their names called at the 2022 NFL Draft in Las Vegas. As soon as the draft is over, many more dreams will be fulfilled as college football players who are draft eligible will agree to free agent contracts with the NFL teams. That group includes many former and a few current track and field athletes, including more than a few Missourians that shined on the track and in the field as Missouri high schoolers.
The draft starts tonight with the first round, while rounds two and three are Friday night and rounds four-seven are Saturday. The NFL Draft Viewer's Guide for Track and Field Fans that was published yesterday, featured the Scouts, Inc. top prospect list and those with track and field experience.
St. Louisan Jameson Williams was a monster of an athlete at Cardinal Ritter. The superstar football wide receiver was also a track and field star. Williams ran 37.28 for the 300-meter hurdles and 10.54 for 100-meters as a sophomore in 2017. Williams captured the 2017 300H state title in class 3. As a junior in 2018 he posted a personal record (PR) of 47.18 in the 400m and as senior in 2019, he lowered his 200-meter PR to 21.23.
Williams has had his sights on the NFL for a long time, and he referred to post-high school life and focusing on football after his senior season in 2019, at the Ladue Brusca-Strobach Invitational in April of 2019.
JM 21.50 200m, 10.66 100m, 22-5'' LJ @ Ladue Brusca-Strobach Inv, April 2019
Williams also had PRs of 7.00m/22-11.5'' in the long jump and even high jumped cleared 6-0'' in the high jump. Williams split a 45.46-second 400-meter leg on Cardinal Ritter's state record 4x400 of 3:13.15 in late April of 2019.
Williams also is on the overall, all seasons, non-school teammates 4x400 record when he teamed up with future Cardinal Ritter teammate Hasani Barr, Brandon Miller and Lazarus Williams to run 3:12.61 as a part of Ultimate Speed Academy. The time was not only the fastest time a Missouri quartet clocked for 4x400, but the August 3, 2017 time broke the AAU Junior Olympics Boys 15-16 national record.
Williams and Cardinal Ritter talk after 3:13.15 4x400 at Kirkwood, late April 2019
Williams began his first two years of college at Ohio State, on one of the most talented wide receiver corps ever. He transferred last summer to Alabama where he had a breakout year. Williams hauled in 79 passes for 1,572 yards and 15 touchdowns. He set an Alabama single season record with four touchdowns of 70 yards or more and a nation leading 11 touchdowns of 30-plus yards.
Williams earned first-team All-America honors and was a Biletnikoff Award finalist, an award that honors the country's best receiver. Williams torn his ACL in the national championship game but is expected to still be a first-round pick tonight, despite not being able to be ready for play until September. Williams is explosive, powerful, and has elite speed. He's expected to be one of six or seven wide receivers taken in the first round. After the Kansas City Chiefs traded Tyreek Hill to the Miami Dolphins, they could use another receiver with elite speed. The Chiefs have two late first round drafter picks in the 20's but Williams will probably be taken before the 20th-pick.