ST. LOUIS — The explosion of St. Louis talent into the NFL is no secret by now. But the most explosive player from the gateway city may be ready for his big breakout.
Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams had to overcome both suspension and injury to start his NFL career, but now, he is primed to be one of the biggest weapons on one of the league's most dynamic teams.
Before he heads off to his third season in the NFL, Williams stopped by his St. Louis training ground, the Herbert Hoover Boys and Girls Club in St. Louis, to give back to the city that helped mold him in the form of a free football camp for kids.
"We didn't have none of this... we had worse grass... it looks a lot better," Williams said looking around the Herbert Hoover field. "But it means a lot coming from this place. being up here every week, week in and week out as a kid playing football and having a dream of being in the NFL. I was just in these kid's shoes not too long ago. It's just always good to give back. They look up to me, and ask me so many questions."
Appropriately, as Williams was giving that last quote, a young camper walked over, tugged on his shirt and asked, "How good are you at football?"
"I'm real good, man," Williams responded.
And he is.
Williams capped off his sophomore season in the league with not one, but two touchdowns in the NFC Championship game against the San Francisco 49ers. And he got to showcase that blazing speed. It's a skill he'll put up against anyone in the NFL.
"I think I'm the fastest (In the NFL). I think I'm the fastest for sure," Williams said.
The Cardinal Ritter grad is one of a cadre of St. Louis natives on the Lions. Ladue punter Jack Fox, Highland tight end Sam LaPorta, De Smet defensive lineman Mekhi Wingo and Trinity receiver Isaiah Williams are all in Detroit as well. It makes for an easy team to root for back here in NFL-less St. Louis.
"There's probably no other team ever in sports that have had that many St. Louis people on it," Williams said. "Us people from St. Louis talk a lot in the team facility. We communicate. I think that's big, too, having someone from where you came from. You're around a lot of people who you're just now meeting and stuff, so you feel comfortable around people you knew or have been around the most of your life. And there's no reason why you shouldn't root for someone from your hometown.
And speaking of St. Louis football stars, Williams is very close with Missouri Tigers receiver Luther Burden III. And the former first-round pick thinks there could be another first-round pick on the horizon from St. Louis.
"I think he's (Burden III) going to be a top-5 pick. He's one of the greatest athletes I've ever seen. Basketball, football, he's doing it. I watched every single Mizzou game last year. I never watched a Mizzou game, I ain't gonna lie. But Mookie and Luther, that's the only two people I'm watching. Those are my guys," Williams said.
As for Williams, he hopes the best is yet to come in the NFL, and he'll be carrying his hometown with him along the way.
"Coming from this place and having big dreams of doing those type of things feels good. But it's just the start. I'm just fresh in the NFL and trying to play a long time and break a lot of records and make my name remembered even after I'm done playing," Williams said.