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Impressive Slimmed-down Williams wows scouts at 2-hour workout
Posted: Wednesday April 07, 1999 08:11 AM
SAN DIEGO (AP) -- Ricky Williams put on a good show for representatives of several NFL team on Tuesday, and the thing they were most impressed with was his waistline. With his dreadlocks tied back in pigtails, the Heisman Trophy winner from Texas went though a 2-hour workout at UC San Diego for scouts, coaches and general managers. He ran three 40-yard dashes, did some agility drills, pass-catching drills and then, with dozens of UC San Diego students looking on, benched pressed 225 pounds 22 times. The big moment came when he stepped on the scales. Back in mid-February during the NFL scouting combine, where he did interviews with teams but skipped the drills, he weighed 244 pounds. On Tuesday, he was down to 224. "I just worked really hard," said Williams, who went to high school in San Diego. "We had to concentrate so much on losing the weight that maybe it took away from speed work, but I mean, I think the main thing was getting my weight down." Williams, the NCAA career rushing leader with 6,279 yards, made an impression with the two coaches whose teams have the first two picks in the draft April 17-18. "What he did today was allow a lot of scouts, general managers and head coaches to rest easy tonight," said Chris Palmer of the expansion Cleveland Browns, who hold the first pick. "The No. 1 thing was that he has dropped the weight," said Andy Reid of the Philadelphia Eagles. "That's always a concern, somebody's up 20 pounds from a normal playing weight. You've just got to [come and] see. We understood that he had been on the banquet circuit. But he lost it and he looked sharp. That showed me a little something." Being on the rubber-chicken circuit was tough "only because you're not working out," Williams said. "Eating wasn't that bad, it's just that you're traveling so much that it's really hard to take time to work out." As for his diet, "I just kind of made up stuff," Williams said. "I got by. It changed almost every day. I had to work extremely hard. It wasn't just strictly diet." The hardest thing he gave up? "Oh, all sweets. Doughnuts, cheesecake. That's about it. Just sweets. Right now I'm going to a doughnut shop." Palmer said Williams was timed anywhere from 4.6 seconds to 4.72 running against the wind in the 40, and anywhere from 4.43 to 4.52 in two heats with the wind. Two other college players who were being timed suffered hamstring injuries on the cold, blustery day. Among those in the crowd of 200 watching the workout were Cleveland general manager Dwight Clark, Indianapolis GM Bill Polian and coach Jim Mora, New Orleans Saints GM Bill Kuharich and Minnesota Vikings coach Dennis Green. Williams is so well regarded that Saints coach Mike Ditka said he would trade all six 1999 draft picks and additional future picks to move up in the first round and get him. Kuharich said the Saints haven't had any discussions yet with other teams, "but that will be part of the package." Palmer said Kentucky quarterback Tim Couch, Oregon quarterback Akili Smith and Williams are the three players the Browns are considering. Clark said there is no clear-cut favorite. The Browns are scheduled to work out Couch in Lexington, Ky., on Sunday. Palmer said Browns officials will sit down this week and discus the pros and cons of the three, and also entertain any trade talks. Williams would like to go to Cleveland as the first pick. "It's a great organization," he said. "They have the best fans in the NFL. I just see myself fitting in in Cleveland." Williams and his agent, Leland Hardy, are scheduled to visit six teams in three days -- St. Louis and New Orleans on Wednesday, Washington and Philadelphia on Thursday and Cleveland and Indianapolis on Friday.
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