Last year Dion Lewis grabbed the starting tailback job as a true freshman. A lot of attention was on how he beat the more heralded Ray Graham — also a true freshman. Really, though, it was that he also beat Chris Burns and Sharif Harris that made it surprising. Before the season started, this seemed like a bigger concern. I mean, Lewis didn’t even have the starting job at this time last year in camp. It was still open.
Hindsight (or even just a couple games into last season) made it obvious that Dion Lewis was a special player that was somehow missed by nearly everyone as Pitt was his only 1-A offer when he accepted. A mix of luck, shrewd evaluation, and late realizations by other programs.
Now that theme is being promoted with true freshman CB K’Wuan Williams.
“If he continues to improve he has a shot to help us,” said defensive backs coach Jeff Hafley. “We still have a long way to go before that first game, and he has a lot of work to do with the rest of us. But he’s putting himself in position to battle for a spot. There is no question about that.”
That’s quite an accomplishment for someone who did not receive another scholarship offer coming out of St. Joseph Regional High in Paterson, N.J.
Williams appears to be another recruiting coup for Hafley, who is gaining a strong reputation for being able to identify high school players out of New Jersey. Hafley is the coach who is responsible for landing another lightly recruited player from New Jersey, Heisman Trophy candidate Dion Lewis, and many other New Jersey-bred players on the roster.
One of the reasons Williams was overlooked by major-conference schools was his height. He was only 5 feet 8 as a senior in high school. He has grown a full two inches since signing day in February, which has been an added bonus for the Panthers.
It’s not to say that Williams will be starting in the first game. Antwuan Reed has one spot locked-up. Ricky Gary is a senior and has played well in training camp, so he looks like the other.
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