Caleb Williams, George Pickens and Tyler Shough among 10 NFL players who proved me wrong

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Former NFL player and scout Bucky Brooks knows the ins and outs of this league, providing keen insight in his notebook. In today’s installment, he eats crow on 10 standout players from this season …

Scouts should periodically review their work to assess hits and misses. The self-reflection provides evaluators with an opportunity to learn from mistakes and inherently become better at the job.

After spending the last few days reviewing my notes from the preseason, I’d like to issue a mea culpa to 10 players who proved me wrong this season.

The former No. 1 overall pick teased and tantalized evaluators with his mercurial talents, but no one knew whether Williams could play with enough discipline and poise to operate within the confines of an NFL system. While Ben Johnson was already regarded as something of a made man, based on his immense success with Jared Goff and the Lions, the offensive wizard needed to adapt and adjust his attack to fit a young gunslinger. Clearly, Johnson did just that, with the Bears fresh off their first playoff win in 15 years, preparing to host the Rams on Sunday night with a trip to the NFC Championship Game on the line. To his credit, Williams has attempted to color within the lines early in games before showcasing his extraordinary playmaking skills in the fourth quarter. With seven game-winning drives/fourth-quarter comebacks on his résumé this season, Williams is becoming the superstar quarterback Chicago has long coveted.

It is rare for a running back to nearly claim a rushing title in his 10th season, but Henry (1,595 yards) did just that, falling 26 yards shy of James Cook‘s league-leading total of 1,621. The 6-foot-2, 252-pounder — who already owns two ground crowns — showed no signs of slowing down despite his advanced age (he turned 32 earlier this month) and heavy workload (2,860 career rush attempts, including the playoffs). Henry led the NFL with 17 explosive runs (20-plus yards) and finished second in rushing touchdowns with 16, all while averaging a robust 5.2 yards per carry. Although he coughed up some costly fumbles, the veteran’s production as a downhill runner nearly helped Baltimore claim a division title despite some serious flaws on the roster.

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