Orange and Blue News breaks down the senior HUDL highlights of St. Louis Trinity Catholic quarterback Isaiah Williams.
Williams had a storybook senior season, leading the Titans to a state title and winning Gatorade Player of the Year in Missouri for the second consecutive year. He passed for 2,178 yards and 30 touchdowns, while rushing for 897 yards and another 8 TD’s. Rivals.com ranks Williams as the No. 5 athlete in the nation.
First, we should put to rest the idea that Williams can’t play quarterback at the P5 level. He can, and Illinois will give him an opportunity to compete in training camp against MJ Rivers and the rest of the returning QB’s. The biggest knock on Williams is his size. Height is less of an issue for quarterbacks when you can move around like Williams, allude the rush, and create passing windows.
Williams has raw skills as a passer that will have to be honed over time at Illinois. He has above average arm strength and can make all of the throws. The long throws do tend to float on him some, but he can get the ball over the top with decent accuracy. He has good form on his delivery, gets the ball out of his hand quickly, and throw with velocity in a tight window. Consistency will be key. When you see him a live game, Williams does make a few errant throws. He makes spectacular plays. He will need to make the easy throws at a high clip as well.
Having multiple DI receivers on his roster obviously helps a lot, especially Marcus Washington who is a physical kid who can win battles for the ball if you just throw it up. Trinity has guys who stretch the field, and many of Williams’ throws are home runs. His senior film is a highlight real, so you’re seeing his best throws, but keep in mind that it’s nearly 15 minutes of video. That’s a lot of good throws.
Williams has a nice feel for the passing game and his timing is good. I’m impressed with his field vision, a trait that is underrated when evaluating quarterbacks. You see Williams surveying the field and not always locking in on his first option. His pocket awareness is advanced for a high school player, and he knows when to hang in and make a throw, and when to tuck it and run. He’ll need to learn to read college defenses pre-snap, and that’s going to take some time. But this is a kid who plays with poise and a high level of confidence. He’s in rare company when it comes to escapability, and he makes good decisions under pressure.
Williams is a dynamic runner. He’s electric with the ball in his hands and will immediately be one of the most elusive players in the Big Ten. Even if he doesn’t win the starting job at quarterback, Illinois will find a way to put the ball in his hands. His ability to stop and go is at an elite level. He keeps his feet alive in close quarters and defenders can’t get a clean shot at him. He does have a slight build, so you worry about him taking direct hits from Big Ten defenders. But they have to catch him first.
The scheme that Williams plays at Trinity prepares him well for the spread that Rod Smith runs at Illinois. On film, you see Williams handle the ball like a veteran on read options. He’s decisive, aggressive, and instinctive. There’s so much to like about this kid. Illinois is getting a future star player in Isaiah Williams.
Williams had a storybook senior season, leading the Titans to a state title and winning Gatorade Player of the Year in Missouri for the second consecutive year. He passed for 2,178 yards and 30 touchdowns, while rushing for 897 yards and another 8 TD’s. Rivals.com ranks Williams as the No. 5 athlete in the nation.
First, we should put to rest the idea that Williams can’t play quarterback at the P5 level. He can, and Illinois will give him an opportunity to compete in training camp against MJ Rivers and the rest of the returning QB’s. The biggest knock on Williams is his size. Height is less of an issue for quarterbacks when you can move around like Williams, allude the rush, and create passing windows.
Williams has raw skills as a passer that will have to be honed over time at Illinois. He has above average arm strength and can make all of the throws. The long throws do tend to float on him some, but he can get the ball over the top with decent accuracy. He has good form on his delivery, gets the ball out of his hand quickly, and throw with velocity in a tight window. Consistency will be key. When you see him a live game, Williams does make a few errant throws. He makes spectacular plays. He will need to make the easy throws at a high clip as well.
Having multiple DI receivers on his roster obviously helps a lot, especially Marcus Washington who is a physical kid who can win battles for the ball if you just throw it up. Trinity has guys who stretch the field, and many of Williams’ throws are home runs. His senior film is a highlight real, so you’re seeing his best throws, but keep in mind that it’s nearly 15 minutes of video. That’s a lot of good throws.
Williams has a nice feel for the passing game and his timing is good. I’m impressed with his field vision, a trait that is underrated when evaluating quarterbacks. You see Williams surveying the field and not always locking in on his first option. His pocket awareness is advanced for a high school player, and he knows when to hang in and make a throw, and when to tuck it and run. He’ll need to learn to read college defenses pre-snap, and that’s going to take some time. But this is a kid who plays with poise and a high level of confidence. He’s in rare company when it comes to escapability, and he makes good decisions under pressure.
Williams is a dynamic runner. He’s electric with the ball in his hands and will immediately be one of the most elusive players in the Big Ten. Even if he doesn’t win the starting job at quarterback, Illinois will find a way to put the ball in his hands. His ability to stop and go is at an elite level. He keeps his feet alive in close quarters and defenders can’t get a clean shot at him. He does have a slight build, so you worry about him taking direct hits from Big Ten defenders. But they have to catch him first.
The scheme that Williams plays at Trinity prepares him well for the spread that Rod Smith runs at Illinois. On film, you see Williams handle the ball like a veteran on read options. He’s decisive, aggressive, and instinctive. There’s so much to like about this kid. Illinois is getting a future star player in Isaiah Williams.
