The Jacksonville Jaguars undoubtedly will look to add some speed to their roster with new coach Urban Meyer at the helm. Of course, that would be beneficial to the offense and defense, but it’s easy to forget how speed on special teams can change a game. For those who need proof, look no further than the impact made by Devin Hester, Dante Hall, and Deion Sanders.
Understanding this, teams search the draft every year for a gem kick returner who can give them the edge in a time where two or three plays could decide an NFL game. When looking at the prospects in the 2021 class, no player might be able to do this for a special teams unit like Boise State kick returner Avery Williams, who has garnered interest from the NFL this offseason.
According to Justin Melo of the Draft Network, the Jags are one of the teams who’ve shown interest in the electric Boise State standout and have met with Williams virtually. He’s also spoken with the New England Patriots and Los Angeles Chargers.
#BoiseState DB/KR/PR Avery Williams has met virtually with the #Chargers, #Jaguars & #Patriots recently. #NFLDraft
Williams is one of the most electric special teams players in this class.
9 career TDs (KR/PR), 3 blocked punts, a blocked FG, a blocked PAT & a FF on a kickoff.
— Justin M (@JustinM_NFL) February 19, 2021
With nine career touchdowns off returns and 1,990 career return yards, Williams was a reliable source of points for the Broncos while with Boise State. In fact, he was so dominant in the category that he was the Mountain West Special Teams Player of the Year and a first-teamer for the conference in 2019. With such talent, he’s now turned to the NFL and could end up being a Day 3 pick or undrafted free agent by Melo’s estimation.
Receiver Keelan Cole provided a spark for the Jags on special teams, however, his contract expired at the end of 2020 and it’s unknown if he’ll be returning to Jacksonville. That said, if the Jags lose Cole, they could be looking for another speedster to spark their special team and could turn to an option like Williams in the draft to help them there.
