Garrett Williams

Pos: CB

School: Syracuse

Ht. 5’10″ 

Wt. 192

Games Watched: Louisville, Virginia, Clemson

One Liner: Aggressive cornerback who wins with physicality, fluidity, and tackling

Strengths: 

  • Very good physicality. Williams is a physical corner who does not shy away from contact. He makes routine big hits on the ball carrier and explodes upfield as a run defender. He brings tenacity during man coverage reps as well .
  • Very good tackling. Williams is a good wrap up tackler and while he makes big hits, he plays with a controlled sense that allows him to rarely ever miss his tackles, while making impact plays. 
  • Good fluidity. Williams has solid fluidity, and it is good enough for him to transition and go chase a deep ball downfield in press man. He can’t use his fluidity to make up for other deficiencies but it is a solid aspect of his game. 
  • Good footwork. Williams plays with solid, patient footwork in the press. He wastes little steps and flashes the ability to really be a presence on the boundary. 

Weaknesses:

  • Marginal route anticipation. Williams is often late to diagnose routes, especially in off man, where he takes added time to reach the receiver due to late processing. In press, he shows susceptibility for double moves at the stem. 
  • Adequate long speed. Williams’ late diagnosis seemingly hurts him more because his athleticism and long speed aren’t necessarily enough to overcome his lack of athletic ability. 
  • Adequate change of direction. Williams had adequate plant and go, and is a bit slow moving from his cross step in off man into his pursuit in transition. I question whether he can be a zone corner due to not being able to fluidly stop on a dime and attack receivers in his designated area. 

Overall Assessment:  Garrett Williams is an aggressive, physical cornerback who NFL coaches would love. He is a violent tackler in the run game, and always finds the ball looking to make a play with great wrap up tackling as well. In terms of coverage, Williams has solid fluidity, and solid footwork as well. He needs to play with better mental nuance to be a formidable starting corner moving forward, but his willingness and solid traits make him a slot consideration early on in his career. The ACL injury could hold him back a little, and while he isn’t the best athlete, he could find a spot on a team that allows him to capitalize on his physical playstyle. 

Scheme Fit: Man corner that has inside/outside versatility

Pick Projection: Round 3

Grade: 6.24