Rams sign Duke Williams

[AU-24 3,063]

http://www.dailynews.com/sports/20160510/rams-sign-former-auburn-wr-duke-williams

Rams sign former Auburn WR Duke Williams

By Vincent Bonsignore, Los Angeles Daily News

Posted: 05/10/16, 5:31 PM PDT| Updated: 48 secs ago0 Comments

With a definite need to assemble offensive weapons around rookie quarterback Jared Goff, the Rams double downed at wide receiver and tight end in last week’s draft.

On Tuesday they took a different route in their quest to identify playmakers and it landed them one of the most talented wide receivers in this year’s draft class.

Albeit one who went undrafted and arrives with a bit of baggage.

The Rams have signed former Auburn wide receiver Duke Williams to a free-agent contract after he worked out for the club recently. Williams, a 6-foot-2, 215 pounder, enjoyed a productive junior year for the Tigers in 2014, catching 45 passes for 730 yards and five touchdowns. At the time, ESPN analyst Mel Kiper rated Williams as the top wide receiver in the 2016 draft class.

But his 2015 season was cut short after a series of off-field incidents resulting in Auburn kicking him off the team in October. Williams caught 12 passes last year before being banished from the team after a series of suspensions, team violations and getting into a bar-room brawl.

After going undrafted last week, Williams was immediately invited by the Rams to try out.

With Williams in the fold, he joins recent wide receiver draftees Pharoh Cooper and Michael Thomas on a roster that also includes veterans Tavon Austin, Kenny Britt and Brian Quick.

Williams seemed contrite when explaining his troubles at Auburn at the NFL Scouting Combine in February.

“I was late to practice many times,“ he said. “Once I got in the doghouse, it was hard for me to get out. I was already in the doghouse, so everything I did, it was being watched. I just had to grow and I didn’t grow. So now I’m working to be a man. I put myself in counseling to really find myself as a person, to address the issue before it even happens again.”

Williams said counseling has helped.

“You know, like attitude, the whole thing, everything; just overall as a person,” he said. “I want to be able to address it right now to where nobody has to tell me what to do anymore.”

Williams left little doubt he’d be considered a top pick without the baggage.

“If I didn’t get in any trouble, I know I’m a legit first-round pick,” he said. “But God got other plans. I’m a first-round pick no matter what.”

The Rams are giving him a chance to prove it.

[looney 794]

Mr. Bonsignore lost me at "double downed."

Journalism is dead.

Congrats to Duke, I reckon. Hope he makes the best of this opportunity.

[ShocksMyBrain 9,362]

Good for him. Hope it works out well.

[AuburnNTexas 7,127]

Hope he really has gotten his act together and gets in shape and produces for the Rams

[AU64 10,122]

hope he does well .....but obviously he was a chronic problem at AU and yet it took Gus over a year to deal with it. How can a bunch of players take a coach seriously when guys like Duke are allowed to flout the rules ? Hope Gus learned as much as Duke from that episode.

[tiger88 934]

Well, you can argue Gus didn't act fast enough, but he did get kicked off the team, so it's not like he got to run free with no repercussions.

I hope he does well in the pros and stays headed in a positive directiom

[Randman5000 4,223]

Good for him. Hope he works his butt off.

[ScottsboroAuburnFan 462]

Keep his head on straight and he will start next season. He is still that good

[Charhair 345]

Keep his head on straight and he will start next season. He is still that good

if he makes it through an entire NFL offseason (which he will, if he can do as you said and the coaches see his ability) he will be in the best shape of his life too. He could definitely develope into a great reciever. Still think is highlights feature some of the top ball skills I've ever seen

[tbone4jc 2,238]

This is good news. I believe he really learned, and was humbled, from his last transgression at Auburn. I am really rooting for him as well as all of our guy's. War Eagle!

[aujeff11 6,243]

I'm pulling for him. Hopefully he doesn't blow this opportunity.

[NoALtiger 3,849]

With 14 other Recievers on the squad and the long odds with for a FA to make the team anyways, he has little room for error. That being said, if he keeps his nose clean and has indeed been putting in the work, this could be a perfect spot for him. I hold no grudge and wish him well.

[aujeff11 6,243]

With 14 other Recievers on the squad and the long odds with for a FA to make the team anyways, he has little room for error. That being said, if he keeps his nose clean and has indeed been putting in the work, this could be a perfect spot for him. I hold no grudge and wish him well.

I noticed the Rams also signed JJ Worton as well. Worton punched a Police officer while playing at UCF and recently he assaulted a man and two women at a bar in Massachusetts while on the practice squad with the Patriots.

Just win baby!!

[The Freak 2,526]

With 14 other Recievers on the squad and the long odds with for a FA to make the team anyways, he has little room for error. That being said, if he keeps his nose clean and has indeed been putting in the work, this could be a perfect spot for him. I hold no grudge and wish him well.

I noticed the Rams also signed JJ Worton as well. Worton punched a Police officer while playing at UCF and recently he assaulted a man and two women at a bar in Massachusetts while on the practice squad with the Patriots.

Just win baby!!

Lol, hope he and Duke don't hang out after practice.

[lionheartkc 6,150]

Fisher sure is a big fan of both giving Auburn players a shot and giving troubled players a second chance. Hope it works out for him.

[jared52 4,354]

With 14 other Recievers on the squad and the long odds with for a FA to make the team anyways, he has little room for error. That being said, if he keeps his nose clean and has indeed been putting in the work, this could be a perfect spot for him. I hold no grudge and wish him well.

I noticed the Rams also signed JJ Worton as well. Worton punched a Police officer while playing at UCF and recently he assaulted a man and two women at a bar in Massachusetts while on the practice squad with the Patriots.

Just win baby!!

Lol, hope he and Duke don't hang out after practice.

In LA no less...

[auburn4ever 1,266]

I'm glad for Duke.

[Randman5000 4,223]

Fisher sure is a big fan of both giving Auburn players a shot and giving troubled players a second chance. Hope it works out for him.

I wouldn't be surprised if they drop Tre Mason though

[triangletiger 1,599]

Rooting for Duke. If he can grow up and be a responsible man after where he came from and what he's experienced, that will be a great success story. On a side note, I recently watched a really good documentary on Netflix from a few years ago about a high school football program in one of the poorer areas of Memphis that went from being a perennial doormat to making the playoffs. It's called 'Undefeated'. If you haven't seen it, I recommend it.

[keesler 5,922]

Fisher sure is a big fan of both giving Auburn players a shot and giving troubled players a second chance. Hope it works out for him.

I wouldn't be surprised if they drop Tre Mason though

Is Mason in jail? He skipped his court appearance a few weeks ago.............

[lionheartkc 6,150]

Fisher sure is a big fan of both giving Auburn players a shot and giving troubled players a second chance. Hope it works out for him.

I wouldn't be surprised if they drop Tre Mason though

Is Mason in jail? He skipped his court appearance a few weeks ago.............

They sent his notice to the wrong address. It's all good.

[ShocksMyBrain 9,362]

Fisher sure is a big fan of both giving Auburn players a shot and giving troubled players a second chance. Hope it works out for him.

I wouldn't be surprised if they drop Tre Mason though

Is Mason in jail? He skipped his court appearance a few weeks ago.............

He missed it due to a court error. They mailed his court date to the wrong address.

[AU80cruiser 1,102]

Rooting for Duke. If he can grow up and be a responsible man after where he came from and what he's experienced, that will be a great success story. On a side note, I recently watched a really good documentary on Netflix from a few years ago about a high school football program in one of the poorer areas of Memphis that went from being a perennial doormat to making the playoffs. It's called 'Undefeated'. If you haven't seen it, I recommend it.

Watched it too. I highly recommend as well. I don't think that big lineman made it very far on the Southern Miss team.

[AUBwins 10,063]

Tre would be better somewhere else now. Gurley took all his carries. Needs to leave before he loses that spark running the football like Ben Tate did. Ben tate would have been a star had he been the starter at Houston. But he stayed being Foster for too many years before finally getting a gig at Cleveland. That was a no win situation in itself. He was doing well before the injury.

[ScottsboroAuburnFan 462]

I love Tre but don't think he is no lead back in the NFL, he needs a situation to be a spell back IMO. Being behind Gurley might be a good thing. Todd gets most of the work and Tre gets 10-12 carries a game. Let's remember Tre actually fell to 3rd last season not even 2nd. CAP IMO is a much better NFL RB.