SIGNED: RB Kyren Williams

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St. Louis St. John Vianney running back Kyren Williams has submitted his National Letter of Intent to Notre Dame.

Rivals: 3.0 stars (No. 6 player in Missouri and No. 36 athlete in the nation)
BGI Grade: 3.5
Upside Grade: 4.0

Ran a 4.24-second pro shuttle and recorded a 34.5-inch vertical jump at Nike Football’s The Opening Regional Chicago on April 2, 2017.

SENIOR SEASON: Compiled more than 2,000 rushing yards, 700 receiving yards and 40 touchdowns.

JUNIOR SEASON: Racked up more than 2,000 yards from scrimmage with 36 touchdowns, plus four interceptions and four sacks on defense.

SOPHOMORE SEASON: Rushed for 748 yards and 21 touchdowns on 125 carries, and caught 48 passes for 591 yards.

FRESHMAN SEASON: Caught 50 passes for 606 yards and four scores, and rushed for 242 yards and five touchdowns on 45 carries.

• 2018 Missouri Class 5A Offensive Player of the Year.
• 2018 Missouri Class 5A All-State selection.
• Running back MVP of the Rivals Three-Stripe Camp in Chicago May 20.

POWER FIVE OFFERS: Illinois, Iowa, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Kentucky, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina, Northwestern, Purdue, Stanford and Wisconsin.

Williams visited Notre Dame several times before an offer finally came Jan. 23 of this year. The Missouri talent racked up several offers throughout his recruiting process before narrowing his list down to Notre Dame, Michigan and Stanford.

The future Irish running back took an official visit to Notre Dame June 15 and was planning to visit Michigan and Stanford in the weeks following. However, Williams announced a commitment date shortly after his visit to Notre Dame an announced his pledge to the Irish June 21.

Williams was primarily recruited to Notre Dame by running backs coach Autry Denson. He will be an early enrollee.

• Born on Aug. 26, 2000.
• Set the Missouri state championship game record for rushing yards with 289 in 2018.
• Scored the most points in a season in school history (254) in 2018.
• Is St. Louis St. John Vianney’s all-time leader in touchdowns (112), receptions (204), receiving yards (2,696) and career interceptions (13).
• Ranks second in school history in career rushing yards (3,947).

Notre Dame is set to return five scholarship running backs who carried the ball in 2018, so earning playing time as a freshman will be difficult.

Although he lacks ideal size, Williams is able to make a lot of plays because he is just a smart, tough, talented football player. Listed as an athlete by Rivals, he was recruited as a running back at Notre Dame and is a pretty good defensive back as well. During his junior season, he split time between wide receiver and running back, but as a senior he showed significant improvement when it comes to the nuances of the running back position.

Williams is not a player you recruit to be a guy that lines up in the backfield and carries the ball 20 times every week. You are recruiting him to complement another back, and to move around the field and get the ball in a lot of different ways.

He lines up a lot at wide receiver for St. John Vianney, and his ball skills are outstanding. He is a good route runner, knows how to get open and has good hands. These traits play up even more if you view him as a running back, which makes him perfect for the two-back sets that offensive coordinator Chip Long likes to use.

At 5-9, Williams lacks the height and body of a pure wide receiver, but his size plays just fine at running back thanks to his thick lower half and squatty build. He uses his height as a weapon when he has the ball in his hands by staying low, getting under the pads of defenders and delivering punishment.

Williams is physical as a runner and despite needing technique work and learning the nuances of the position, he shows a natural feel for playing running back. His combination of toughness, speed, elusiveness and ball skills makes him a big-play threat out every time he is on the field.

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