Dallas Cowboys covet Crowley’s Milton Williams III as he rises up NFL draft boards

Former Crowley star defensive lineman Milton Williams III is the classic case of the new social media craze: how it started, how it’s going.

When Williams left for Louisiana Tech in 2017 he was a lightly-regarded two-star recruit.

He returns home this weekend in advance of the 2021 NFL Draft, which begins April 29 and runs through May 1, as a blue-chip prospect with a solid second-round grade and an outside chance of hearing his name called in the first round.

His excitement is palpable considering his origins.

But this is no out-of-body experience for Williams. He always believed it was possible and he worked to make it happen.

“I’m feeling good,” said Williams, 22. “I wouldn’t say surreal because I always saw something in myself that a lot of people didn’t. It’s just come full circle for me, putting in a lot of work over the last last couple of years.

“I just feel good. I feel everything is coming around like it should have been to start off. It is finally coming now which is the best thing.”

Even better is that Williams might get to stay home permanently.

The former college defensive end who will play defensive tackle in the NFL said no team has talked to him more than the Dallas Cowboys.

The Cowboys need an interior pass rusher and run stopper to help bolster a defense that in 2020 set a franchise record for most points allowed and the second-most rushing yards.

The team had a huge contingent at his pro day.

Williams also conducted a virtual visit with coach Mike McCarthy, defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, defensive line coach Aden Durde, vice president of player personnel Will McClay and assistant defensive line coach Leon Lett.

Williams, who has never attended an NFL game, wasn’t necessarily a Cowboys fan growing up.

But “I caught myself rooting for them every Sunday after church,” he said.

“Watching DeMarcus Ware and Tony Romo back in the day . . . I grew up liking them. That is somewhere I wouldn’t mind playing. If I could go to the Cowboys I would be right at home.”

Interestingly enough, no defensive tackles from the Big 12 or Texas A&M are ranked ahead of him in the draft.

He is somewhere between second and fourth at his position, depending on the ranking.

Not bad for someone whose biggest scholarship offers coming out of high school were from Louisiana Tech and Tulsa.

“I got no offers from Texas Tech, Texas A&M, TCU, Texas,” Williams said. “I went to all of Texas’ camps. I never got any feedback, response. Nothing.”

Williams used it as motivation and said he went to Louisiana Tech with a chip on his shoulder.

He listened to his coaches and put in the extra work.

“I feel I could have played anywhere in the country and been productive,” Williams said. “But it didn’t work out like that. So I took advantage of my opportunities at Louisiana Tech. I put in the work and paid my dues. And when I finally got the opportunity I dominated.”

After redshirting his first year in 2017, he played in seven games as a backup in 2018.

Williams had 10 sacks in 23 games in his final two seasons and declared for the draft.

“He can be a three-technique [defensive tackle],” ESPN’s draft expert Mel Kiper said of Williams. “He can play outside [at end]. He can play a variety of roles up front, and he gets after the quarterback. He’s disruptive.”

Williams was considered a mid-round prospect after the season but his stock blew up after a sterling pro day.

The 6-foot-3, 284-pounder cemented himself as the fastest and quickest defensive tackle in the draft with a time of 4.61 seconds in the 40-yard dash, 4.25 seconds in the 20-yard shuttle and 6.87 seconds in the three-cone drill.

He put up 34 reps on the 225-pound bench press, had a 38.5-inch vertical jump and a 10-foot-1 broad jump.

“I didn’t talk to every team until after pro day,” Williams said. “That is when a lot of them started reaching out.”

Williams plans on watching the draft at home in Crowley. There will not be a big party befitting a big-time draft prospect, just his immediate family — the same people who stood with him back when there was no next-level interest from those within Texas.