Wendall Williams' brow-raising performance at an NFL Regional Combine in Minneapolis over the weekend has already begun paying some dividends for the University of the Cumberlands (Ky.) draft sleeper. Following his laser-timed 4.32 40-yard dash, which was hand-timed at a blistering 4.19 seconds, the New York Jets and Oakland Raiders have tried to set up private workouts with Williams, a wide receiver.
And because he's in demand from other clubs, he might not even be able to do it.
"The Jets and the Raiders are trying to set something up (a workout) with me at the end of this month. I'm not sure what's going to happen with (my schedule)," Williams told College Football 24/7. "Everybody would like me to go to the Western Kentucky pro day (March 29), but I'm not sure what we'll do. My agent and I still have to speak on those matters."
Williams also posted a 45-inch vertical jump at the regional combine, which was held at the Minnesota Vikings' practice facility. Williams ran so fast and jumped so high Saturday that the four scouts in attendance -- from the Minnesota Vikings, Green Bay Packers, Kansas City Chiefs and Carolina Panthers -- pulled him off the field to interview him.
Williams said he's also heard from the New York Giants, but it didn't take a great performance at a regional combine for him to be on their radar.
"They ask me about my story and how I came to be playing at my school. I got a call from the Giants and the Chiefs earlier (Monday)," Williams said. "The Giants said their GM (Jerry Reese) has known about me from a couple months back, and they were excited to get in touch with me. This is an overwhelming process for me that I'm just trying to take day by day."
Williams performed multiple roles for the Mid-South Conference school, and his averages per touch illustrate his explosiveness: 30.5 yards per catch (15 for 457), 29.1 yards per rush (7 for 204), 23.5 yards per punt return (6 for 141) and 32.4 per kickoff return (24 for 777).
We're still seven weeks away from the NFL draft, but Williams has triggered exactly what was necessary for him to have a chance at getting a draft-day phone call: a scouting buzz about his athleticism, and the upcoming workouts needed to maintain it.
*Follow Chase Goodbread on Twitter **@ChaseGoodbread*.
