OT Williams appears to be finally healthy

TALLAHASSEE — He’s one of the biggest mysteries on the entire Florida State football team.

A former four-star recruit. The nation’s seventh-ranked offensive tackle in the class of 2016. A prospect that Jimbo Fisher gushed over when FSU signed him out of Archbishop Carroll in Washington, D.C.

But through two years on campus, Jauan Williams hasn’t been able to fulfill any of that potential on the football field. He hasn’t been able to contribute in any meaningful way because he just couldn’t get his shoulder healthy.

Williams was redshirted in 2016 after having surgery on the shoulder before the season. And then last year, he was forced to have surgery on it again.

If you’re keeping score: That’s 2 surgeries, and 0 college football games.

But as Florida State heads into the second week of preseason practice, the redshirt sophomore seems to have established himself as the No. 1 left tackle on the Seminoles’ depth chart. He has worked with the firstteam unit during all portions of practice that have been observed by the media.

“I was always looking for this opportunity,” Williams said. “And I’m just embracing it and keep working hard and pushing through all the pain and the heat.”

Don’t get the wrong idea. When Williams says, “pain,” he’s just referring to the grind of a college football camp. The bumps, bruises and exhaustion that come with practicing for over two hours each day.

His shoulder, he says, is perfectly fine.

“Right now, I’m 100 percent,” Williams said. “I don’t even feel it . ... It was a blessing. Thank the Lord, Jesus. I’m just happy to be out here working my butt off and ready to compete.”

And by all accounts, he’s competing well.

Willie Taggart was so impressed with the 6-foot7, 290-pound tackle that he was the very first person the FSU head coach mentioned when recapping the Seminoles’ first day of practice.

And while Williams says he wants to keep adding pounds to his frame, he likes the way he’s moving as well.

“I need to keep gaining more weight and keep firing off the ball,” he said.

Williams added moments later: “I feel like I’m pretty comfortable right now. I can move around pretty quickly.”

He is going to be counted on to do just that as he tries to help anchor a unit that has been much maligned the past few seasons. Florida State ranked 105th in the nation last season in sacks allowed (2.7 per game).

The year before that? The Seminoles ranked 103rd.

If the Florida State offensive line is going to leap forward in 2018, it’s going to have to start by keeping its quarterbacks upright. And the left tackle spot is a big part of that equation.

“Well, yeah, you’ve got to know you’ve got the quarterback’s back,” Williams said. “But if you trust your talent and technique, you shouldn’t have anything to worry about.”

Florida State’s season opener against Virginia Tech is still three weeks away.

Williams understands he hasn’t won the starting job just yet. And he most certainly understands the offensive line still has plenty of work to do before the Hokies roll into Doak Campbell Stadium.