Dalyn Williams could be playing minor league baseball right now, working his way up through an MLB farm system. He could be turning two as a shortstop, stealing bases with his blazing speed, and driving balls all over the field with his potent bat.
Instead, Williams chose to play football. That didn’t turn out to be a bad choice either.
Williams is now in his junior year at Dartmouth and has established himself as one of the Ivy League’s top quarterbacks.
Last weekend, he scored three touchdowns through the air and one on the ground to lead the Big Green to a 38-31 comeback-victory on the road against Yale. His 32 completions on 47 attempts were a career-high, and his 388 passing yards were the fourth-most ever by a Dartmouth QB. In the same game, he became just the second quarterback in school history to eclipse 1,000 career rushing yards.
Williams and Dartmouth have moved up 10 spots in the latest HeroSports to BR-37. Their rise has translated into a Heat Score of 65.
A dual-threat under center, Williams can beat teams with his legs or his arms. He’s gained 275 yards on the ground with five rushing touchdowns already this season, but he used his arm to beat the Bulldogs on Saturday.
He’s made strides each season for the Big Green, the Ivy League Rookie of the Year as a freshman was an All-Ivy honorable mention pick last season. He entered the 2014 season seventh all-time at Dartmouth in total offense (3,572 yards).
And to think, he was just as good on the diamond, if not better.
Williams’ .516 average, 29 RBIs, 10 stolen bases, and three home runs as a senior at Lake Dallas High (Texas) caught the attention of MLB scouts. Williams considered playing both sports at Dartmouth, but changed his mind.
“I did want to play baseball, but I changed my mind because I have aspirations of going pro in football,” Williams told The Dartmouth earlier in his career. “I wanted to improve on all the aspects of being a true quarterback, and that takes time. It was a hard decision because baseball was my first love, but now football has my heart, mind and soul. Because of this, I will not play baseball over the summer. It is in my past.”
It’s hard to not think of Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson when talking about Williams and his athleticism. Wilson is 5-foot-11 and 206 pounds, while Williams is 6-0, 210 pounds. Wilson was a standout baseball player, drafted by the Colorado Rockies in 2010 and acquired by the Texas Rangers last year.
But Wilson chose football. Williams has done so as well, and it so far it looks like a pretty good choice.
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