Seattle Dragons WR Kasen Williams lives out a dream as draft pick
Oct 15, 2019, 7:06 PM
Kasen Williams will continue his career with the XFL's Seattle Dragons. (Jessamyn McIntyre photo)
(Jessamyn McIntyre photo)
Kasen Williams finds himself at home all over again.
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Having spent the majority of his football life in the Seattle area, once more he will take the field in front of the eyes that saw him grow into the player he is today.
On the first day of the XFL Draft, the UW Huskies product and former Seahawks wide receiver was selected by the Seattle Dragons during the Skill Players phase with the 55th overall pick.
“It’s almost overwhelming, but at the same time it’s really calming, because I don’t want to play anywhere else,” Williams explained with an ear-to-ear smile that never seemed to leave his face. “That really calms me down and makes me just embrace the moment and not think of it as anything bigger than it really is.”
Williams says he absolutely has a goal to return to the NFL, but that didn’t temper his excitement about Tuesday in the least. In fact, he lived out one of his dreams.
“Just hearing my name – I didn’t care what round it was, I just wanted to hear my name called,” he said. “That’s something I never got to experience in the NFL.”
It’s not lost on Kasen that he could have landed elsewhere, either. The first round of the draft included all skill players: quarterbacks, running backs and wide receivers. The Dragons selected running backs with their first two picks.
“It really hit me when I saw other UW guys and other local guys end up playing in other states or for other teams,” said Williams, who starred in high school at Skyline, catching passes from 710 ESPN Seattle’s own Jake Heaps. “So for me to be here, I’m just grateful.”
So how does the 6-foot-2 wide receiver see himself as a player in the revamped XFL? He has a clear vision of his role. “Being able to go up and get the ball, make contested catches, be a really good route runner” is how he put it.
Williams, though, also focuses beyond the stripes, stating that he wants to “be a leader as well, be somebody the guys can look up to.”
Williams, who has known Seattle Dragons head coach and Seahawks legend Jim Zorn for some time now, is looking forward to contributing on offense as well as special teams. He’s already asked for the yet-to-be-finished playbook. His enthusiasm for his new team is guaranteed to be infectious.
So what will it be like to walk out of a tunnel in front of a home crowd at CenturyLink Field once again?
“Just like it felt when I came out with the Seahawks,” he smiled. “This is what I’ve been working for. That feeling, on top of being at home.”
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