Kyren Williams: College Stats and Path to NFL Success

Kyren Lawrence Williams, born on August 26, 2000, has rapidly ascended from a promising high school talent to a key player in the National Football League (NFL). His journey is marked by impressive statistics, impactful performances, and a dedication to his team. This article delves into Williams' college career at Notre Dame and his transition to the professional level with the Los Angeles Rams.

High School Career

Williams grew up in St. Louis, Missouri, and attended St. John Vianney High School, where he showcased his versatile skill set. In his junior year, he rushed for 922 yards and 22 touchdowns, while also catching 51 passes for 774 yards and 12 touchdowns. As a senior, Williams exploded for 2,035 rushing yards and 26 touchdowns, adding 55 receptions for 725 yards and 14 touchdowns. He led Vianney to an 11-3 record and the MSHSAA Class 5 State Championship. In the Class 5 final, Williams set a state championship game record with 289 rushing yards, contributing significantly to the Golden Griffins' 28-14 victory and was later named the St. Louis Post-Dispatch’s offensive player of the year.

College Career at Notre Dame

Williams committed to Notre Dame, where he quickly made his mark. Entering 2020, the backfield was open for competition, and despite the hype around freshman Chris Tyree, Williams seized control with 246 total touches.

2020 Season

Williams emerged as Notre Dame's primary tailback, showcasing his versatility and skill. He peeled off 5.3 yards per carry (YPC) behind a strong offensive line and caught 35 of 48 targets for 313 yards. His outstanding performances earned him recognition as the ACC Running Back of the Week multiple times.

Duke: In his first career start, Williams rushed for 112 yards on 19 carries (5.9 avg.) and 2 touchdowns. He also had two receptions for 93 yards (75 long) with 91 yards after catch (YAC). He was the first Notre Dame player since at least 1996 to reach the 90-yard mark in both rushing and receiving yards in a single game. Williams led all FBS players in yards-per-reception (46.50) in Week One.
South Florida: Williams started and rushed 10 times for 62 yards, adding two receptions for 10 yards in a 52-0 win.
Florida State: He had 19 carries for 185 yards (9.7 avg.) and two touchdowns, along with two receptions for 11 yards, totaling 196 all-purpose yards. His 185 rushing yards were the fourth-highest in a single game by any ACC player that season and the most by any freshman or sophomore ACC player.
Louisville: Williams rushed for 127 yards against a defense that had only allowed 156.8 rushing yards per game, earning ACC Rookie of the Week honors for the third time that season.
Georgia Tech: He rushed 15 times for 76 yards and two touchdowns in a 31-13 win, responsible for seven of Notre Dame’s 24 first downs.
Clemson: Williams posted 23 rushes for 140 yards and three touchdowns, earning ACC Running Back of the Week honors. He posted 140 yards against the third-ranked rushing defense in the ACC.

By the end of the season, Williams had firmly established himself as a key player for the Irish.

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2021 Season

Williams continued his strong play into the 2021 season, consistently contributing both as a rusher and receiver.

Florida State: Caught six passes for 83 yards and a touchdown in the season-opener.
Toledo: Rushed for 78 yards, including a 43-yard touchdown run, and caught three passes for 25 yards.
Purdue: Rushed for 91 yards, including a 51-yard touchdown run, and caught two passes for 37 yards.
Virginia Tech: Williams tallied a 10-yard rushing touchdown and an 8-yard receiving touchdown.
Southern Cal: He broke out with a team-high 138 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns.
North Carolina: Williams had a career-best 199 yards on 22 carries with one rushing touchdown. He ripped off a career-long 91-yard rushing touchdown, tying for the fifth-longest rush in Notre Dame history. He finished with a career-high 261 all-purpose yards.
Navy: Williams led the Irish with 95 rushing yards, two rushing touchdowns, seven receptions, and 176 all-purpose yards.
Virginia: He led the team in rushing yards (70) for the 10th time that season.
Georgia Tech: He led the team with 120 all-purpose yards, four receptions, and two rushing touchdowns.
Stanford: Williams surpassed the 1,000-yard mark (1,002) for the second-straight season, becoming the first Irish running back to achieve this since Darius Walker (2005-06).

Williams decided to forgo his remaining eligibility and prepare for the NFL Draft after his successful college career. In 24 games over two years as the team's primary tailback, he averaged 5.1 yards per carry and caught 77 passes for 672 yards, scoring 31 total touchdowns.

NFL Career with the Los Angeles Rams

2022 Season: Rookie Year

The Los Angeles Rams selected Kyren Williams with the 164th pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. Expectations were high, but his rookie season faced early setbacks. After not playing in the preseason, Williams suffered a high ankle sprain on the first kick return in the Rams' season-opening loss to the Buffalo Bills and was placed on injured reserve. He was activated from injured reserve on November 12, 2022, and appeared in ten games, receiving significant offensive snaps in eight of them.

2023 Season: Breakout Performance

Williams' role significantly expanded in 2023. In the season opener against the Seattle Seahawks, Williams carried 15 times for 52 yards and scored his first two career touchdowns in a 30-13 win on the road. The following week at home against San Francisco, he supplanted Cam Akers as the Rams' starting running back and had 14 carries for 52 yards and a touchdown while also catching six passes for 48 yards and another touchdown in the Rams' 30-23 defeat. He became the first player in franchise history to score multiple touchdowns in each of his first two games of a season. On the road at Indianapolis in Week 4, Williams recorded his first career 100-yard rushing game, totaling 103 yards on 25 carries with two touchdowns in the Rams' 29-23 overtime victory against the Colts. During Week 6 against the Arizona Cardinals, Williams finished with a season-high 158 rushing yards and a touchdown on 20 carries as the Rams won 26-9 but sprained his left ankle in the process. He was placed on injured reserve on October 21, 2023 and was activated from injured reserve on November 25, 2023, after missing four games.

Returning to the starting lineup in Week 12 at Arizona, Williams finished with 143 rushing yards on 16 carries, 61 receiving yards on six catches with a pair of touchdown receptions as the Rams won 37-14. This performance earned Williams NFC Offensive Player of the Week honors and was the start of an impressive six-game stretch in which he averaged 5.3 yards per carry and 114.7 yards per game. Williams ran 21 times for 88 yards and a touchdown in a 36-19 win over the Cleveland Browns, then had 114 yards on 25 carries in a 37-31 overtime loss at the Baltimore Ravens. Against the Washington Commanders, Williams had 27 carries for 152 yards and a touchdown run in the Rams' 28-20 victory. Four days later, Williams turned in his third straight 100-yard rushing game, totaling 104 yards (including a 10-yard TD) on 22 carries as the Rams defeated the visiting New Orleans Saints 30-22. In the game, Williams became the first Rams running back to surpass 1,000 yards rushing since Todd Gurley in 2018. In Week 17 at the New York Giants, Williams had 87 yards on 20 carries but scored a career-high three touchdowns in the Rams' playoff-clinching 26-25 victory. The following week, Williams was named to the Pro Bowl for the first time in his career and was also named as a second team All-Pro. Williams was held out of the Rams' 21-20 victory over San Francisco in the final week of the regular season. He finished the 2023 season with 228 carries for 1,144 rushing yards and 12 rushing touchdowns to go along with 32 receptions for 206 receiving yards and three receiving touchdowns in 12 appearances and 11 starts. Williams ran for 61 yards on 13 carries in the Rams' 24-23 loss to Detroit in an NFC Wild Card Game.

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2024 Season

Beginning the season as the starting running back, Williams scored one touchdown in each of the Rams' first two games, both losses on the road to the Detroit Lions and the Arizona Cardinals. Playing at home against San Francisco in Week 3, Williams scored all three of his team's touchdowns in a 27-24 victory.

2025 Season

On August 5, 2025, Williams signed a three-year, $33 million contract extension with the Rams. In Week 5 versus San Francisco, Williams caught eight passes for 66 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 65 yards on 14 carries, but fumbled at the 1-yard line on a first-and-goal play with 1:07 remaining. Against Carolina in an NFC Wild Card Round playoff game on January 10, 2026, Williams ran the ball 13 times for 57 yards and had two receptions for 18 yards, including a 13-yard TD reception in the fourth quarter of the Rams' 34-31 victory over the Panthers. Just over a week later in the NFC Divisional playoff at Chicago, Williams had 21 carries for 87 yards and two TDs (the first postseason rushing scores of his career) while also catching four passes for 30 yards in the Rams' 20-17 overtime victory against the Bears. Rematching with Seattle in the NFC Championship Game, Williams caught a 9-yard touchdown pass with 1:55 remaining in the second quarter to put the Rams ahead of the Seahawks 13-10 in what would turn out to their only lead of the game.

Career Stats and Achievements

Kyren Williams has played in 40 career regular season games (29 starts) and recorded 614 carries for 2,714 yards and 27 touchdowns along with 78 catches for 461 yards and five touchdowns. He became the sixth Rams running back to record 14 rushing touchdowns in a season and recorded a career-high 258 rushing yards against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 6, becoming the first Rams running back to rush for 150+ yards since Cam Akers in Week 14 during the 2020 season. In Week 12 of 2023, he became the first Rams player with 200 scrimmage yards and two touchdowns in a game since Todd Gurley in 2018. He also became the fourth player in Rams history with 100+ rushing yards and two receiving touchdowns in a game, joining Gurley (2017), Cleveland Gary (1992) and Eric Dickerson (1983).

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