Williams declares for 2019 NFL Draft

Surprising few people within the Washington State football program, redshirt junior running back James Williams will declare for the 2019 NFL Draft, he announced on social media Saturday afternoon.

Williams, a Burbank, Calif. native, finished his WSU career with 1,539 rushing yards, 27 touchdowns and 202 receptions, tying him for third on the Cougars' all-time list with Jamal Morrow.

This past season, Williams caught 83 passes, setting a Pac-12 single season record for receptions by a running back, ran for 560 yards and scored a team-high 16 touchdowns. He is the first Cougar player to lead WSU in rushing yards and receptions since Steve Broussard in 1989.

Williams amassed 3,090 total yards in three years of active duty for Washington State.In his message posted on social media, Williams declared he is a "Cougar for life."

Williams' decision to enter the 2019 NFL Draft virtually guarantees rising sophomore Max Borghi will enter spring practice as the No. 1 running back on the roster. Who is No. 2? Good question. We may not get an answer to that question until late August when preseason camp ends and WSU gets ready to face New Mexico State in the 2019 season opener.

CBSSports.com write this about Williams soon after he announced his decision to declare for the NFL Draft:

"Williams has an interesting play style that is suited for the modern NFL. Playing in an Air Raid offense at Washington State, he was asked to contribute in the passing game nearly as much as he was asked to contribute as a runner. He caught 202 of 234 targets for 1,437 yards and eight touchdowns over his three seasons at Washington State and added a career-high 12 rushing scores in 2018. He was a middling three-star as a recruit and didn't display standout athleticism during his time in college, but his polish and pass-catching ability will be transferable to the next level."

Williams is projected as a middle-to-late round draft pick.