Jamie Nye
CFL.ca
When you get selected first overall in any draft, anything less than a 10-year career as key member of that club would be considered a disappointment.
Even more pressure is put on that draft pick when the team that drafted you trades up to make sure they get their man.
And those are the expectations Shomari Williams continues to try to live up to after the Roughriders traded up to get him 1st overall in last year’s draft.
The Roughriders followed that up by flying Shomari to Regina and have the greatest living legend in Roughriders history, George Reed, make the announcement and then present him with his first hat and jersey in the pros.
Could the Riders have heaped more pressure on the kid?
A year later, Williams enters the 2011 season, which could be a vital one on how the rest of the story will be written on the success of the Roughriders decision to go hard after that 1st overall pick.
Though Williams was the Roughriders rookie of the year candidate, he didn’t earn the nod by blowing past offensive linemen, in fact, he didn’t even register a sack in his first season in Saskatchewan.
15 defensive tackles and no sacks were fine with the team last year but that type of production won’t do in his second season.
Williams is aware of that and did everything he could to try to prepare in the offseason, “I gained a little bit of muscle, actually I worked out with Chunky (Eskimos defensive tackle Marcus Adams) so hopefully that helps. For me I just want to improve a lot from last year because there’s not a lot of pressure on me as there was last year but I definitely have the desire (to get better).”
The challenge for Shomari is to beat out guys who have been in pro football a lot longer than he has. Players like Brent Hawkins, former Stampeder Tearrius George and veteran Roughrider Luc Mullinder all stand in his way.
But it’s a situation the Queen’s product welcomes.
“Last year I worked a lot after practice by watching a lot film and I plan on doing the same things this year. I just expect a lot more success on the field and a lot more sacks. I’m going to work hard at it and it’s going to come, so why not me, because I’m going to put the work in to be great.”
Over the first three days of training camp the work is being noticed.
“I see a guy that’s working hard, trying to get better, really trying to pick up the mental aspect of the game as well as the physical,” said Head Coach Greg Marshall, though admitting the Queen’s product is still very much learning the ins and outs of being a defensive lineman in the Canadian Football League.
Williams acknowledges the move from linebacker to defensive line continues to be a bit of a struggle but it’s a transition that his new positional coach, Mike Walker, feels he can make.
In fact, Walker believes with some more seasoning and extra attention, Williams will be able to reach that potential the Roughriders saw in him over a year ago.
“Realistically in the CFL all the guys that have been the great pass rushers off the edge have transferred over from the linebacker position and he’s just like all those other guys … he’s got a nose for the football.”
While Walker is quick to praise his protégé, he’s also quick to note the reality of the situation. He believes Williams is still a work in progress and with the competition general manager Brendan Taman has brought into camp at the defensive end position, Williams is going to be hard pressed to make the starting lineup again.
If there is one thing that is on Williams’ side this season is the new defensive system being established by defensive coordinator Richie Hall.
“This is a more traditional type of defence so your heads not spinning as much. It took me a while to get used to Etch’s system,” explained Williams after day two of training camp.
“This system is one you play in high school and play in college and it makes it a lot easier (mentally) so you definitely have the opportunity to feel you can pin your ears back a little more.”
With that added freedom, Williams hopes Rider Nation sees #99 in the backfield a lot more than his freshman season along with his first career sack.
Not only would more production be a welcome site to those who cheer him, it will be welcome relief to the men who believed he was going to become the next great Canadian pass rusher.
