2018 NFL draft: Watch OL Connor Williams shed tears after being drafted by his hometown Cowboys
It isn’t unusual to see players get emotional during NFL draft weekend, and it’s completely understandable: these young men have been working for years to become NFL players, and having that dream finally come true can be overwhelming.
Offensive lineman Connor Williams broke down in tears Friday night when he received the call that he was being drafted 50th overall. But he wasn’t drafted by just any team, he was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys, who until recently called Valley Ranch, the town next to his native Coppell, Texas, home.
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Williams is a 6-foot-5, 296 pound guard, the first offensive lineman from the University of Texas to be drafted in a decade and known for very sound technique.
As if he knew where he’d end up, Williams chose a blue suit for the night. Not quite Cowboys blue, but pretty close.
Williams seems like a guy it’s easy to cheer for: In December, he penned an open letter to the “bullies of my past” on NFL.com, discussing his difficulties speaking – his parents say he didn’t really start speaking until he was 4, and then once he did he had multiple speech impediments, including a stutter and inability to say his Rs.
It led to classmates openly mocking him in the halls, and to Williams becoming the class clown, believing that if he could make kids laugh, they’d leave him alone.
He also was overweight, over 10 pounds when he was born two weeks before his due date, and always the biggest kid in his class.
But Williams thanked those bullies because their treatment of him led him to push himself in the sport he loved.
And now he’s a second-round NFL draft pick. Our guess is none of those bullies can say the same.
More NFL draft coverage from Yahoo Sports:
• NFL draft grades for Round 1
• Barkley already an NFL star without playing a snap
• Bills captain: Josh Allen will have to explain controversial tweets
• Report: Chargers to cut team icon Antonio Gates
