Two Boise Broncos Heading To NFL

BOISE, ID — Two former Boise State Bronco football players waited and heard their name as the NFL draft took place over the weekend.

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Tight end John Bates was picked in the fourth round by the Washington Football Team, the 124th pick overall.

A native of Lebanon, Ore., Bates was All-Mountain West honorable mention in 2019 and 2020 and a three-time Mackey Award Watch List member (2018-20). He played some of his high school ball just across the Idaho border in Nyssa before returning and graduating from Lebanon.

Bates averaged over 12 yards per reception in his four years with the Broncos and made 34 catches in 19 games over his final two seasons. He is the first Boise State player taken by the Washington Football Team since defensive back Brandyn Thompson in 2011 and the highest Bronco picked by Washington since defensive end Markus Koch in the second round of the 1986 draft.

Williams was a Consensus All-American in 2020 and set Boise State records with six first-team honors and 10 overall.

A native of Pasadena, Calif., Williams tied an NCAA career record with nine touchdowns on kick returns. In 2020, he was the Jet Award winner as the nation's top return specialist, the Mountain West Special Teams Player of the Year, an All-Mountain West First-Team honoree at cornerback, punt returner and kick returner and the only player to rank in the top 20 nationally in both punt and kickoff returns.

Williams is the highest Bronco selected by the Falcons and the first since 1983 when Atlanta drafted defensive back Jeff Turk and linebacker John Rade in the seventh and eight rounds, respectively.

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