Williams explores NFL draft
By TIM CASEY
Assistant Sports Editor
Brock Williams may have played his last game at Notre Dame.
The Irish cornerback mailed a form to the National Football League offices a few days after the Irish loss in the Fiesta Bowl requesting to see where the league projected him to be selected in the upcoming draft. According to Notre Dame football administrator Nick Carparelli, an NFL official called Williams and coach Bob Davie last week and projected Williams to be selected in the third or fourth round.
"I don't know how reliable those predictions are," Carparelli said. "Certainly if they are not reliable, a kid could get hurt in the long run."
When reached on Tuesday, Williams refused to comment on his future plans. Williams sat out the entire 1999 season for disciplinary reasons so he is eligible to apply for a fifth year.
Following the Fiesta Bowl, Williams confided that he had contacted Carparelli a few weeks earlier.
"The coaches will probably be shocked at what I'm saying but that's the way I'm feeling," Williams said. "I'll let them know."
Just minutes earlier, Williams said he "went from decided to undecided" regarding his decision to return for a fifth year but quickly changed his thought.
"I mean, I want to come back for next year," Williams said, "and have a good, good season."
On numerous occasions, Davie mentioned Williams as a key returning player for the 2001 squad. At a press conference on Nov. 21, Davie spoke as if he fully expected Williams to return next season.
"The secondary is all back [in 2001] except for Tony Driver," Davie said at the time.
As of now, Williams has not filed to be in the draft, according to Carparelli. In fact, unlike players with a remaining year of eligibility at other schools, Williams may not have to officially declare his intention. All underclassmen had to declare their intentions by Jan. 12.
Because football players at Notre Dame are not "redshirted," like at other schools, they must complete an application requesting a fifth year. Because of that rule, Williams — and the other seniors who have an extra year of eligibility — is technically considered a senior who has not officially been granted a fifth year of eligibility.
The University's decision as to which seniors will return for a fifth year has not been finalized, according to assistant athletic director and sports information director John Heisler.
"With the semester starting, any of those people that are interested in that are just going to begin the process of filling out the paperwork and submitting that to the faculty board," Heisler said. "It's gotten a little bit more involved in the last few years. In the past, they essentially had to write a letter that explained what their intention was. Now there's a more specific form that's been created that asks them to detail both where they are academically and what they plan to be doing academically. They also ask them in detail why it is they missed a season and why they want to come back."
Said Carparelli: "It's a unique situation. We're trying to get an answer from the NFL as to whether he even needs to declare or if he does, whether he's bound to stick to that. He hasn't been in contact with an agent of any sort which certainly eliminates that boundary."
After Williams spoke to him in the weeks prior to the Fiesta Bowl, Carparelli gathered the paper work from the NFL and gave it to Williams, who had to send the form by Jan. 5. The NFL officials received the form before the deadline and contacted Williams last week with their projection.
"For the most part it's up to Brock to do all this," Carparelli said. "It's his life and his career. He's been in contact with us every step of the way and asking our advice."
All Sports Stories for Wednesday, January 17, 2001
