Notre Dame Football: What can be expected from Dexter Williams in 2018?

Losing Josh Adams might hurt Notre Dame initially, but does Dexter Williams have what it takes to exceed expectations as his replacement in 2018?

Josh Adams declaring for the 2018 NFL Draft may not be the worst news for Notre Dame football. The Fighting Irish are losing a guy who was in the Heisman Trophy race for part of the season, but replacing him will be an experienced senior by the name of Dexter Williams.

The former top-100 recruit in the 2015 class from Winter Garden, Fla., has added about 20 pounds of muscle since stepping foot in South Bend and that’s helped him become a tougher back to bring down on first contact.

As a freshman, he rushed for just 81 yards and a touchdown, but more than doubled that production as a sophomore, accounting for 200 yards and three touchdowns. He almost doubled his sophomore totals as a junior, racking up 360 yards and four touchdowns, but his yards per carry average of 9.2 was the real eye-opener.

Williams’ vision improved drastically and his elusiveness in the open field was impressive. He found the holes, albeit behind a strong offensive line, and became a home-run threat for the Irish.

This is just one of the examples of his patience, vision, elusiveness and strength all rolled into one run:

Adams may be a slightly bigger back, but he may not be quite as shifty as Williams as he’s more of a downhill runner.

Can Williams adequately replace Adams, though?

Rushing for over 1,400 yards won’t be easy, but Williams has the tools to make him a successful back despite the Irish losing two potential first-round picks on the offensive line. He was the most effective runner in limited carries in 2017 and I’d expect him to break out in 2018.

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Williams has been waiting for his moment, and he’s about to get his opportunity as a full-time starter in 2018. He has what it takes to be a star for Notre Dame.