Mike Williams aims to make most of 'last chance' with Titans

Mike Williams can admit it now _ the year of football he missed in 2004 when he unsuccessfully applied for the NFL Draft as a sophomore took its toll on his pro career.

Williams and former Ohio State running back Maurice Clarett originally challenged and won the right to enter the draft that year, but later an appeals court overturned that ruling. When the NCAA would not allow Williams to play again for Southern California, he was left in no man’s land for a year until he was drafted by the Detroit Lions in 2005.

“I think what I lost the most wasn’t anything football related; it was the structure,” said Williams, now 24 and trying to resurrect his career with the Tennessee Titans. “Being a part of a routine and having a regimen and having a set schedule of being here for how long and being there for how long. That was my main thing that I struggled with for awhile. I struggled with it.

“I got better about it at the end of my first year, but the second year I got right back into [being late]. It was the structure. That was the main thing that hurt me, just the structure and waking up and commitment. What do they call it? Being a pro. Having a year off from that, that was the main thing that hurt me.”

During his time with the Lions, who picked him 10th overall in the 2005 draft, Williams was said to be frequently fined for being late for meetings and other such transgressions. The Lions were all too happy to trade him to Oakland as part of a package during draft weekend last year.

When he got to the Raiders, he didn’t last long there either and was released after dropping a key fourth-down pass against the Titans in October. Williams signed a two-year deal with the Titans on Thanksgiving Day, but did not catch a pass in two games. He was deactivated for the final weeks of the season, even though Tennessee was shorthanded at receiver due to injuries.

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Wolf said:

tack fans are excited [url]http://forums.titansonline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=36116

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Texan_Bill said:

I'm pretty worried about this. I think Mike Williams is extremely talented. If he matured the way he claims to, he could be a real threat / target downfield for Young..........

Oh wait..... nevermind.

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Second Honeymoon said:

lol...

this could be a good environment for Williams. You got a USC guy in Fisher at the helm and he does more with less year after year. If anyone can help turn this guy around, its Fisher.

he has played for the Lions and Raiders organizations. Those two organizations have been pretty embarassing of late so he may flourish under Fisher's regime. As long as the guy is in shape and committed, its a win-win situation for the Titans. They risk little and they were in dire need of talent at receiver...albeit a longshot

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ChampionTexan said:

Maybe - I have an incredible amount of respect for Fisher's talent. But don't forget that when he went to Oakland, he was playing for one of the offensive Co-coordinators who was at USC when he was there, and it didn't seem to make much difference.

If this weren't after his third year in the NFL, I might give it some credence, but the next time I'm worried about Mike Williams being a Titans receiver will the the first.

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