NFL Draft: Minnesota's Maxx Williams Shows Freak Athleticism

Minnesota Gophers tight end Maxx Williams is just a redshirt sophomore, but sometimes it doesn’t take even that long for people to know a star when they see it shine so bright. Williams has made big plays from the tight end position all year, and at 6-foot-4, 250 pounds, he has shown the athletic ability of a 200 pound receiver with soft hands, light feet, and the ability to leap over tall buildings in a single bound.

But, seriously.

The incredible plays being made by this kid are just the tip of the iceberg. It’s yet to be determined whether or not he will leave school for the NFL, but he has an opportunity to cash in not only financially, but also to be almost the unquestioned top tight end in this class if he comes out, perhaps even ahead of Michigan’s Devin Funchess.

Williams is still developing as a blocker, which doesn’t mean I think he’s horrible at it, but it is something he needs to work on. When he makes plays as a receiver like the one we saw against Missouri in the Minnesota bowl game, it’s hard to really care about his blocking abilities.

The Gophers would obviously hate to lose Williams this early in his career, but his stock might never be higher and he has a tough decision to make. Going into the bowl game, he had caught just 29 passes this season but seven were for touchdowns. He is a machine in the red zone and NFL teams are going to be chomping at the bit to get their hands on him.

NFL Draft: Minnesota’s Maxx Williams Shows Freak Athleticism

By Sayre Bedinger | Jan 1, 2015