Film Don't Lie | Aneyas Williams

By Jamie Uyeyama

December 16, 2022

6,544

The one thing that Notre Dame fans have grown accustomed to during the start of the Marcus Freeman era is that positive momentum never seems to stop. Even when there is a small setback that might keep things stagnant, it ends up being offset by another addition.

The Irish just picked up a significant one with a commitment from running back Aneyas Williams‍. He’s a prospect that impressed at Irish Invasion during the summer and he’s just the latest big time skill player that Freeman and company have added to the mix.

Height: 5’10”

Weight: 195

Projected Position: Running back or slot receiver

ISD Grade: 92 (4-star)

National Average Grade: 91.5 (4-star)

What he does best:

Yards after contact is what separates players at the running back position. Williams is a yards after contact machine because of his lateral agility, balance, and toughness. He forces a ton of missed tackles.

His ball skills are outstanding. He tracks the ball over his shoulder better than most receivers.

He could legitimately play in the slot for the Irish and his film doesn’t even show how good he can be there. I saw him as a route runner in person at Invasion and he’s going to be an incredibly tough cover for linebackers and safeties.

He knows how to switch gears as a runner and while he may not have elite burst, he consistently creates big plays because of his vision and determination. He can make an offense more explosive.

What he needs to improve:

I thought he didn’t have quite the same burst as a junior compared to his sophomore season and it made me think he will have to be smart about not getting too big in college. That was something Kyren Williams had to manage as well and he found the sweet spot and still played big despite not being heavy.

What’s his ceiling?

I think people might look at him and think of him as a situational player, but his versatility means he should be someone who can play every down. I know Jayden Limar‍ is someone that reminds people of Kyren Williams, but Aneyas feels like the spitting image of Williams when it comes to being a pure football player.

I think he has the potential to contribute early in his career and develop into an all-purpose weapon who can rack up a ton of yards from scrimmage. I’m a big fan of his game.