RICHMOND, Va. -- Will Adams remembers the day like it was yesterday.
"It was all smiles, man. I was just so excited, you know, that somebody gave me an opportunity," Adams said.
It was the day he got the call he has waited for since he started playing football — for his name to be added to an NFL roster.
"I just made sure that I was ready. And I packed up my things. And that just came on. I've been saving it for a while, all I need is an opportunity. And, you know, once I get mine, I'm gonna make the most of them," Adams said.
The last month has been a whirlwind for his career. From not being selected in this year's NFL draft, to being invited to three NFL rookie camps within two weeks of the draft.
"I just had to stick with it, man. And make sure that I keep my faith," Adams said.
This led to the Washington Commanders signing him to a multi-year deal to be on their preseason roster.
"I think he's got a lot of untapped potential. So he's a guy that we really liked when he came in. He showed his athleticism. He showed his savviness already, and it was something we talked about with the coaches was a guy that we wanted to switch out, so we did. We thought Will was worth the risk," Ron Rivera, the Commander's coach, said.
"I just focus on little details. You know, make sure you do a good job of making sure that you handle everything that you need to handle. My coach always told me, I'll take care of your business and your business takes care of you so that's exactly what I did," Adams said.
Will gained national attention from NFL scouts after a strong showing during the HBCU Combine and the week leading up to the inaugural HBCU Legacy Bowl.
"It just helped me out so much. I just want to thank Doug Williams and Shaq Harris for, you know, providing that for us, man, because that really just shined light on HBCU players like myself, and that was the starting point of everything that has transpired since then," Adams said.
His performance in Mobile, Alabama and New Orleans highlighted what players from schools like Virginia State can do when the opportunity is there.
"Absolutely. I gotta make sure that I, coming from an HBCU they might, you know, think that there's a few things that I didn't get, you know, as far as competition-wise like a D-I college or, you know, these Big 10 schools but you know, I've got coaching from NFL guys like Coach Reggie Barlow, who's now with the XFL. Coach Vernon Dean, who actually played for Washington, so I've got a good backing as far as coaches go," Adams said.
While Will is on the Commanders' 90-man preseason roster, the all-CIAA selection at safety still has that fire to prove people wrong.
"Just the fact that we have talent too, and we need to get a shot. And if you give us a shot, then you know great things will happen like mine. I'm a living example of that," Adams said.
