This former special teams ace at Boise State is likely to miss the NFL season
Former Boise State cornerback Avery Williams likely will miss the NFL season after suffering a torn ACL during practice, Atlanta Falcons coach Arthur Smith said Wednesday.
Williams, who switched to running back last year, suffered the injury during a non-contact drill on Friday. He is scheduled for surgery on Thursday, Smith said.
Williams finished his first season as a running back with 22 carries for 109 yards and a touchdown.
His absence likely will mean more carries for former BYU running back Tyler Allgeier, drafted by the Falcons last year, and former Texas running back Bijon Robinson, picked in the first round this year.
Williams actually began his college career as a running back. He rushed for 1,175 yards as a senior at JSerra Catholic High in California and walked on at Boise State as a running back in 2016. He moved to cornerback the following season and started 21 consecutive games for the Broncos, but he really made his mark on special teams.
The 24-year-old native of Pasadena, California, was named Mountain West Special Teams Player of the Year in 2019 and 2020 and finished his Boise State career with nine special teams touchdowns.
The Falcons picked Williams in the fifth round of the 2021 NFL Draft, and his skills on special teams have translated well to the NFL. He averaged 21.3 yards per kick return as a rookie and posted 16.2 yards per punt return and 19.6 yards per kick return last season.
