The 2014 NFL season is officially in the books and now it is time to move on to the scouting process. The Athlete Performance Lab is a brand new training facility in Katy, Texas. Gus Johnson of Stephen F Austin and Trey Williams of Texas A & M are two running backs that are training for the NFL Scouting Combine and looking to improve their status as prospects. Pro Player Insiders is pleased to present their draft diary.
Gus Johnson is a name that some fans may not have heard. He was in the running for the Walter Payton Award which is given to the top FCS player. He rushed for 1,683 yards and 23 touchdowns.
Johnson was originally committed to Tulsa but rerouted to Stephen F Austin. While there, he had four great years and got invited to the combine after becoming the school’s all-time leading rusher, playing mostly in a single back set. Johnson is a “whatever it takes” kind of player that will do anything to help his team out.
Growing up, he always played running back. He said that he wanted to play that position when he was younger because he always got the ball and got to score touchdowns. His mother loved Emmitt Smith and by default, he looked up to Emmitt because of the way that he ran and the way that he carried himself. Like Smith, Johnson prides himself on his vision. He is able to use his patience to let the rushing lane develop and then pick the lane that he will run through. Johnson is a tough runner like Emmitt Smith who doesn’t rely solely on speed to get chunks of yards on the ground.
During the season, he played at 224 pounds but currently is 219 pounds. He is a leaner athlete after training at the lab. Johnson credits most of that to how the lab has portioned meals tailored for each of the guys that are working out there. His day starts with a series of stretches with his coach, Al Smith. Kerry Bennett is another speed coach that Johnson is working with. Bennett trains three other NFL running backs, Christine Michael, Jonas Gray and Jamaal Charles. A lot of the work that they are doing is primarily speed work. They work on their 40 start and drills to improve explosiveness.
The focus is on the lower body. Johnson knows the benefit of having explosiveness for a running back. “It’s crucial to have explosion as a running back in the NFL.” Johnson continued; “You have to explode through the holes and have speed in bursts.” They are also working on start and stop ability. Running backs often times have to be able to explode upfield and cut then accelerate again.
They break for lunch after the morning lower body workout and then come back to do circuit work to get their upper body right. One of the things that they work on is the bench press. Johnson has been at The Lab for just over a month and has gained four extra reps of 225 pounds on the bench. Johnson’s typical work week includes a workout on Monday and Tuesday, recovery on Wednesday, workouts from Thursday – Saturday and recovery on Sunday.
The combine is coming up for Johnson in a couple of weeks. Next week, they will really begin to focus on getting familiar with some of the drills that the players will be tested on in Indianapolis.
Trey Williams is also training at The Lab. Williams is one of those players that can fill three roster spots for a team. He is a dangerous threat in the return game, he can be an option from the slot position and he can be a handy third down back. Some may be critical of his decision to come out early but Williams is confident that he made the right decision.
“I prayed about this opportunity. I made the decision to fulfill my dream of playing in the NFL after a lot of prayer.” said Williams. Prayer is something that Williams turns to when he is faced with adversity. He lost his grandmother at the age of 14. They were very close and he had to make a conscious effort stay focused in the midst of the trying times. Williams enjoyed a successful high school career in football, baseball and basketball.
Williams was a point guard on his high school basketball team. The lateral movement and quickness that is required to play point guard transfers over to football, especially for a quick back like Williams. He also played centerfield in high school, making all district teams during his freshman and sophomore years before getting injured his junior year. Another talent that Trey has is the ability to sing. He won the talent show award at the 2014 Liberty Bowl.
Playing in the SEC was great for Williams. He mentions the speed of the game and the angles as two things that he really learned to master and prepare him for the next level. Williams is one of those play makers that coaches will create ways to get the ball in space. Many have said that Williams’ game is very similar to Darren Sproles for that reason. Williams himself mentioned Sproles as a comparison but also brought up Reggie Bush as another explosive player who he feels his game is similar to.
Williams was one of the more electrifying all-purpose backs in the mighty SEC. While at the Lab, Williams has also focused on getting faster. He has been working on various running back drills to improve speed and agility. The only day that he takes off is Sunday. He does two a day workouts on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Yoga is mixed in for balance on Wednesdays and Friday is a light day. United Sports Group (USG) is the agency that represents him. They provide him with a personal chef that prepares meals for him each day along with meal supplement shakes.
Next week will be the final week of combine preparation for Gus Johnson and Trey Williams. The players are set to arrive in Indianapolis at the beginning of the week to take part in the biggest job interview of their lives. There’s a saying that “luck is when hard work meets opportunity.” These young men have worked hard at the Athletic Lab and the combine will be their opportunity to show the results of their labor. Be sure to tune in next week before the combine to find out what their final preparation is and get a glimpse into the mindset of a prospect that is about to be evaluated by NFL personnel decision makers. You can also follow them on twitter Gus Johnson @GusJohnson06 and Trey Williams @twll3
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