Trevardo Williams: 5 Things You Need to Know About the Connecticut DE

Trevardo Williams has been one of the most productive pass-rushing defensive ends in college football over the last couple of seasons. The Connecticut product may not translate a great deal to the National Football League, but his production speaks for itself. 

As a an under-the-radar mid-round prospect there is surely a lot of information that most casual football fans don't know about Williams. 

Let's take a look at five things you should know about him as he prepares for life in the National Football League.

Background

Full Name: Trevardo V. Williams (December 31, 1990). 

Hometown: Bridgeport, Conn. by way of Jamaica 

High School: Bridgeport Central High School in Bridgeport, Conn.

Class: Senior 

Major: Exploratory 

Trevardo Williams was the seventh-ranked player coming out of the state of Connecticut, according to Rivals.com. This wasn't enough for him to be on the radar of mainstream programs or recruiting services on a national level. 

In fact, Connecticut was the only major football program to show interest. 

Statistics

2009 (Freshman): 13 games, 19 tackles, 13 solo, 2.5 for loss and two sacks. 

2010 (Sophomore): 13 games, 29 tackles, 25 solo, 9.5 for loss, 4.5 sacks and two forced fumbles.

2011 (Junior): 12 games, 43 tackles, 26 solo, 15 for loss, 12.5 sacks and two forced fumbles.

2012 (Senior): 12 games, 42 tackles, 21 solo, 13.5 for loss, 11.5 sacks and one forced fumble.

As you can see above, Williams saw his numbers improve each season at Connecticut. He started out his college career as a role player in both 2009 and 2010, sitting behind Lindsey Witten as a freshman and Jesse Joseph to start his sophomore campaign. 

He started 11 games as a junior in 2011 and absolutely dominated opposing pass-blockers. He led the Big East with 12.5 sacks that season. Williams actually finished ahead of top 2012 NFL draft picks Derek Wolfe and Bruce Irvin in that category. He earned second-team All Big East honors and finished second in the conference in tackles for loss. 

Some thought that Williams' junior campaign was a fluke, but he came back just as strong this past season. The pass-rush specialist led the conference in sacks once again and finished No. 1 on Connecticut's all-time sack list. He was a first-team All-Big East honoree as a senior. 

All statistics provided by CFB Stats.

Draft Process

Measurements

Height: 6'1"

Weight: 241 pounds

Arm Length: 31.25"

Hand Size: 9.375"

Combine Results

Broad Jump: 124.0"

40-Yard Dash: 4.57

Vertical Jump: 38.0"

Bench Press: 30 reps at 225

Williams absolutely dominated the generic drills at the NFL Scouting Combine. He led all defensive linemen with a 4.57 40-yard dash, showing us a tremendous amount of athleticism in the process. Williams.

He also finished third at his position in the broad jump, first in the vertical jump and tied for fifth in bench press reps. Needless to say, scouts were impressed. 

It's really important to note just how good Williams' 40 time was. His time ranked ahead of running back prospects Le'Veon Bell, Andre Ellington and Joseph Randle. That's simply insane. As it relates to the defensive end position, Williams performed better than Ziggy Ansah in his 40. Again, that's just plain crazy. 

All measurements and combine numbers provided by NFL.com.

Interesting Facts

Williams may have excelled in athletics in high school, but his family did not arrive in the United States until he was nine years old. 

It's an interesting story (via Chris Elsberry, CT Post):

"

(Williams) arrived in Bridgeport from Jamaica with his single mother, Monica. He was a tall kid for his age. Skinny. Shy. He loved to draw and spent many hours detailing characters from the Japanese animated show Dragonball Z.

"

Unlike other prospects in the draft, Williams remembers his homeland a great deal. After all, he spent a majority of his adolescence in Jamaica. His mother Monica indicated how difficult it was raising three kids on her own in a foreign land (via Chris Elsberry, CT Post):

"

I had just gotten divorced and moved here. I used to work two jobs. There were times when it was very stressful. It was hard, but I survived.

"

This is an uplifting story of a young man who was given an opportunity in a new land and made the most of it. That's what the United States is all about. 

Observations

Despite an extremely productive career at Connecticut, Williams really isn't drawing a bunch of interest from mainstream scouts as a top prospect. Bleacher Report's Matt Miller has him ranked as the 12th-best outside linebacker in the class and gives him a fourth-round grade. 

I am not entirely sure what to make of this. While Williams will be a pass-rush asset in the National Football League, he doesn't seem to be much more than a mid-round pick at this late stage in the process. 

That being said, Williams' scheme versatility seems to indicate that he will be of value early in the third day of the draft. 

Vincent Frank is an NFL featured columnist here at Bleacher Report. Vincent is the head sports editor over at eDraft, co-host of Draft Sports Radio, which airs every Monday and Wednesday from 3 to 6 p.m. ET, and a fantasy writer for Pro Football Focus.

Go ahead and give him a follow on Twitter @VincentFrankNFL.