Connor Williams was not declining an invitation to the 2018 NFL Draft. No way.
Williams grew up in Coppell, Texas, a suburb of Dallas and just 20 minutes north of AT&T Stadium, the venue for this year's draft. As a child in Coppell, Williams was a victim of bullying for his size and a speech impediment. More specifically, he was a victim of constant teasing, isolation, rumor-mongering, harassment, beatings and torment, as he wrote in a letter to his bullies in December.
He defeated those bullies with the help of his family, and though he's already thanked those in his support group many times over, their attendance at the draft, in some ways, represents a perfect culmination for the battles he's won.
"It was an exciting thought to be able to have my family around the table," the potential first-round pick said on The Hot Route podcast this week. "Being able to fit I believe 13 people at that table . . . [is] more than enough for the people that have impacted my life.
"My parents get to walk down the red carpet. For me to see that, it's probably going to bring a tear to my eye. It's an amazing opportunity."
