Hundreds of former college football players’ futures will be determined Thursday through Saturday during the 2010 NFL Draft. Among the former Tigers waiting to hear their names called is Keiland Williams, who hopes to join the ranks of the many LSU running backs selected in past drafts.”It’s kind of a nerve-racking situation right now,” Williams said. “The three or four years in college were your chance to show what you can do. Now you have to sit back and relax and wait for someone to call your name.”Williams has been projected as a late-round pick by many draft experts, but the Lafayette native could go undrafted and slip into free agency.One knock against Williams is his lack of production at LSU.Williams only started three games in his four-year LSU career, but he saw the field on many occasions and carried the ball as many as 17 times in one game as a backup.”The best way to describe him is as someone you know who has a lot of talent, but he always leaves you feeling as though he can do more,” said local NFL draft analyst Mike Detillier. “He came in and flashed some skills at LSU, but he was never really a consistent player.”Williams entered LSU in 2006 as the No. 1 junior-college prospect in the nation from Hargrave Military Academy in Chatham, Va.He immediately made an impact during his freshman season, averaging a team-high 48.4 rushing yards per game and was second on the team with 436 rushing yards on the season. Williams continued to be a productive backup to former LSU running back Jacob Hester during his sophomore season, racking up 478 yards and six touchdowns on the ground.But Williams hit a wall after his sophomore season and was never able to become the team’s premier back despite Hester’s move to the NFL in 2008.His rushing numbers decreased, and he only found the end zone a combined six times in his junior and senior seasons.”One thing is that he wasn’t a big, tough inside runner,” Detillier said. “I think [LSU coach] Les [Miles] was trying to motivate him and trying to get more out of him, but it never clicked.”Williams’ senior season ended early after he broke his ankle Nov. 14 against Ole Miss. He missed the last two games of the season.He said he is mostly healed, and he is confident he will find his place in the NFL and be productive for an NFL team.”I can do good things with the ball in my hands. I’m a threat catching the ball out of the backfield, and my pass-blocking skills are getting better to where people are noticing what I can do without the ball,” Williams said. “Given a fair opportunity, I can come in and contribute pretty early.”Williams said he’s ready to work his way through the running back ranks and play a key role on special teams during his rookie season.The running back played a lot of special teams during his LSU career and had 199 kick-return yards during his sophomore season and 290 kick-return yards during his junior season.”You have to establish yourself as a special teams player and as a guy who can do things in other areas besides the offensive and defensive sides of the ball,” Williams said. “I’m willing to do many things until I establish myself as being ‘the guy.'”Miles said his running back-by-committee approach has saved his backs from the wear and tear most college backs get before they reach the NFL.Williams has a lot of football intelligence and can be a good pickup for any team in the NFL, Miles said.”If they are looking for a third-down back or a guy with speed who can catch it, Keiland Williams will be a guy that will fit that,” Miles said.But many college athletes struggle in the NFL, and Williams said former LSU running backs Kevin Faulk and Joseph Addai have talked to him about how to be a successful professional back.Addai told Williams most rookies are starstruck about finally making it to the league, but it is important to stay focused and remember people are fighting for jobs.”Get in there, focus and learn your plays,” Williams said Addai told him. “Once you learn your plays, you’re not out there thinking. You’re just out there reacting.”—-Contact Jarred LeBlanc at [email protected].