Seahawks rookie Kasen Williams trying to follow in Jermaine Kearse’s footsteps

Former Huskies wide receiver Kasen Williams talks with "Danny, Dave and Moore" about how he's trying to make the Seahawks' roster as an undrafted rookie.

BY ERIC MANDEL

Sep 2, 2015, 2:12 PM Updated: 2:29 pm

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Former Husky Kasen Williams is fighting for one of the final spots in Seattle's wide receiver rotation. (AP)

(AP)

It’s rare to find a blueprint for making a Super Bowl-caliber team as an undrafted free agent. But Kasen Williams has five examples in the Seahawks’ wide receiver group alone, most notably Jermaine Kearse.

“For me, I’m just trying to do the same things (Kearse) did,” Williams told 710 ESPN Seattle’s “Danny, Dave and Moore” on Tuesday. “Whatever he was doing his rookie season during camp, I’m just trying to do the same thing – show up on special teams, make my plays when the opportunity present itself, and just do everything that I can to make this team.”

Williams is fighting for a spot in the Seahawks’ receiving corps. Much like Kearse, he’s a homegrown talent, having gone from a five-star recruit at Skyline High School in Issaquah to a standout at the University of Washington and now to an undrafted rookie with the Seahawks. Williams initially agreed to a deal with the Bengals after the draft but failed his physical. He admitted he didn’t know what his future would look like after that setback.

“I’ve never done this before. I didn’t know if I’d be able to play again, if anyone was going to pick me up,” he said. “Fortunately, Seattle had an opportunity for me.”

In all likelihood, the Seahawks will start the season with only one drafted wide receiver on their active roster, rookie third-round pick Tyler Lockett. Seattle traded former fourth-round pick Kevin Norwood to Carolina on Monday, likely leaving two spots among Williams, his fellow former Husky Kevin Smith, Super Bowl standout Chris Matthews and converted quarterback B.J. Daniels.

Williams said Kearse’s advice for making the team revolves around high effort and taking advantage of opportunities, especially on special teams. Williams is new to that role, but believes he’s been improving while playing on the scout team for both sides of the kick and punt teams.

“I can get out there and learn the technique, but as far as the effort goes, it’s there,” he said.

Another key, Williams said, is consistency.

After entering college as a top recruit, Williams had an up-and-down career at Washington, where he finished third on the school’s all-time reception list. He has said he coasted before sustaining a severe foot and ankle injury in 2013, which helped him rediscover a passion for the game. Williams said he viewed the injuries as a blessing in disguise.

“I saw the signs and saw that this was an opportunity to build my foundation, an opportunity for me to find that hunger and find that love that I had for the game when I first started playing back to my freshman year of college, my sophomore year of college,” he said.

Even if Williams doesn’t make the 53-man roster, there are other options, including Seattle’s practice squad.

Williams said he just wants to play somewhere.

“I’m definitely glad that I’m here in Seattle,” he said. “I love being a hometown kid, but after I got cut (by Cincinnati), I was just like, ‘I just wanna play football. That’s all I wanna do.’ “

With final cuts coming this weekend, Williams said it can be hard to keep the nerves out of the back of his mind but that he doesn’t feel any extra pressure to produce Thursday night in Seattle’s preseason finale, calling it “just another game.”

“At the end of the day, it’s the same game that I’ve been playing for 13 years. Nothing’s changed – just a little more on the line this time,” he said.

Williams added: “It’s the NFL. This is my dream. The only way that dream becomes longer and longer is if I thrive in these moments.”