Fansided
Fansided

Denver Broncos: Javonte Williams can take Melvin Gordon’s RB1 title

By Sayre Bedinger

Jun 1, 2021; Englewood, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos running back Javonte Williams (33) during organized team activities at the UCHealth Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 1, 2021; Englewood, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos running back Javonte Williams (33) during organized team activities at the UCHealth Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit

The Denver Broncos certainly didn’t draft running back Javonte Williams to have him ride the pine in his rookie season. Even with veteran Melvin Gordon on the roster already, Williams is poised to play a big role in 2021, but how big?

The Broncos traded up near the top of the second round ahead of the Miami Dolphins to get Williams in a deal made with the Atlanta Falcons. It was the first trade-up for rookie general manager George Paton, who ended up getting a guy he and his staff had a really high grade on.

Not just a high grade, but a first-round, RB1 type of grade.

The Denver Broncos’ love for Williams as a prospect was revealed in the team’s fascinating behind-the-scenes look at the 2021 NFL Draft in Paton’s first year on the job.

Paton said that Williams was a guy who “blows you away” on tape when you watch him play, and there wasn’t a carry or catch or pass pro rep that Paton didn’t scour after getting a strong recommendation from his entire scouting staff.

Denver Broncos: Javonte Williams is easy to love

How can you not love watching Javonte Williams play?

His combination of burst, power, aggressiveness, after contact ability, and three-down capabilities make him the ideal bell-cow type of back in today’s NFL.

One of the Denver Broncos’ top executives in the front office is director of scouting Brian Stark, who stated in that video that he had Nick Chubb and Zeke Elliott comps on Javonte Williams.

The more you watch Williams play, the more you can see Nick Chubb in his game and the potential he has a as a consistent tackle breaker.

So, how quickly is this guy going to take Melvin Gordon’s job as the top running back on the Broncos?

That could happen rather quickly, to be honest.

There’s no question that Gordon is going to be involved for the Denver Broncos. This is a player who is basically guaranteed to get you 9 or 10 touchdowns a season at this point. Over his last five seasons, he has 57 total touchdowns. That doesn’t just happen by accident, and Gordon is also valuable as a receiver.

It’s not going to be easy for Williams to just flat out unseat Melvin Gordon, but as the offseason progresses and Williams gets opportunities in preseason games to prove himself, you can’t wonder if that usage is just going to grow more and more each week.

Home/NFL Draft