Future and present look bright for John Marshall receiver

ROCHESTER The ingredients for wide receiver greatness are all there speed, jumping ability, size, strength, agility, hands, smooth route running.

Rochester John Marshall junior AkitJ Williams has shown all of these things in the early stages of this football season and is giving off the look of a potential Division I college receiver.

ADVERTISEMENT That is his goal, to take this receiver thing as far as he possibly can.

The thought that I could be a college player pushes me far, said the 6-foot-2, 180-pound Williams, who comes complete with 4.6 speed in the 40-yard dash and a rare 37-inch vertical jump.

Once the reality hits me Im like, Dang, I can go to college because of my athletic ability.

Its like, What can I do to get to the next level? But I also want to make sure I do right with where my feet are right now and that is playing for John Marshall.

Williams hasnt just been playing for JM, hes been killing it for the Rockets.

A three-sport athlete (football, basketball, track and field), Williams ranks among the best in the state with his 412 receiving yards on 14 catches (29.4 yards per catch) in three games.

He also has three touchdowns.

When JM quarterback Savy Vath throws him the ball, he knows hes connecting with a special one.

There arent many athletes in the state like him.

Its his ability to go get the ball out of the air that is special, said Vath, whose team is 0-3 despite Williams fast start.

And its what he does after he catches it (being difficult to tackle with his strength and physicality).

He is so fluid in his motions and he knows how to read defenses.

JM coach Kyle Riggott began to get an early indication that Williams was special when he was a sophomore.

That came when Williams strode through the JM weight room and jumped up and touched the ceiling.

There havent been many whove been able to make contact with the ceiling, as its 12 feet high.

ADVERTISEMENT To Riggott, touching that ceiling is a big deal.

Its been his experience that only the best of the best JM players have been able to pull that off.

Williams, who also dunks a basketball with ease, was one of those ceiling grazers.

His combination of length and explosiveness makes him dangerous.

AkitJs physical tools will just keep getting better as he (plays) more, Riggott said.

His burst, his first couple of steps, his ability to get off the ground and high point the ball all of that will improve and so will his power as hes in the weight room more.

It was in watching his father, James Robertson Jr., play football that Williams also fell in love with the game.

His dad played amateur football in Rochester, a running back.

By the time Williams was in middle school, he knew he could be special in this game, like his dad.

Watching my dad, I thought I could do it (play football), too, Williams said.

I found out it was really fun.

I started to get serious about it in middle school.

Thats when things started to skyrocket for me.

That's when people started to say, This kids got some talent." Williams thinks he might have enough talent to be a 1,000-yard receiver this season.

That is one of his personal goals.

But what he wants above all is for this John Marshall team to have success.

Hes ready to do whatever it might take to put that 0-3 start behind them and start winning some games.

ADVERTISEMENT As good as Williams has been, he doesnt believe hes been good enough.

There have been a couple of dropped passes by him and he hasnt been content with his blocking.

I could be doing better, he said.

I got lazy on some blocking last game.

There is some small stuff that I could have done better.

I could have broken loose better than I did.

Williams and the Rockets will get another chance to prove themselves at 6 p.m.

Friday when they play at 1-2 Rochester Century in a rivalry game..

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