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2025 NFL Draft Profile: OT John Williams, Cincinnati

Originally posted on Last Word On Sports
By Matthew Brown | Last updated Apr 7, 2025 9:00 AM ET

John Williams was a key part of the transformation of the Cincinnati Bearcats football program. He fortified the left side of the offensive line and is one of the most technically sound prospects in this draft class. Here is a 2025 NFL Draft Scouting Report on Williams.

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Overview, Film Analysis, And 2025 Scouting Report Of Cincinnati OT John Williams

Measurables:

6’ 4”
322 lbs
Arms: 33 7/8”
Hands: 11”

2025 NFL Combine Results:

40-Yard Dash: 5.17 seconds
10-Yard Split: 1.80 seconds
3-Cone Drill: 7.93 seconds
20-Yard Shuttle: 4.72 seconds
Bench Press: 29 reps

Player Background:

John Williams was a three-star recruit from Bolingbrook High School in Illinois. Within the state, he was considered a top-30 player while being ranked just outside the top 100 offensive tackles on a national level. During the 2020 recruiting cycle, he committed to the University of Cincinnati despite offers from Purdue, Kansas State, and Central Michigan. He ended up redshirting his first season as he only saw the field in four games.

Williams played in a total of 52 games over five seasons with the Bearcats. He was a crucial part of the 2021 team that became the first Group of Five team to make the College Football Playoff. Although he never earned all-conference honors, he was among the best blockers in college football and consistently posted blocking grades above 75.0, according to Pro Football Focus. Williams finished his career with 24 consecutive starts at left tackle after just three in his first two seasons.

Accolades:

2025 East-West Shrine Bowl participant

Best Tools/Pros:

John Williams was the beneficiary of an incredibly balanced Cincinnati offensive scheme. The Bearcats split on offense is about 52% pass and 48% run which gives him the upper hand on other tackle prospects. In pass protection, he plays with good fundamentals and strength. He has good speed on kick slides and anchors effectively when dropping his pad level. Bull rushers have a tough time playing through his big frame and he can knock speed rushers back with his arm length. When working downhill on running plays, he finishes his blocks and identifies his next assignment quickly.

My top performer from the West practice at the @ShrineBowl has to be Cincinnati LT John Williams

Very impressed with his fluidity and independent hand usage. Great building blocks for a blindside protector pic.twitter.com/8rdnnKNyJC

— Mike Renner (@mikerenner_) January 25, 2025

Williams can be referred to as a technician. He does a great job of recognizing and passing off designed stunts by the defense. His hands aren’t overly strong but he does a good job of resetting them when he is beaten. The first strike almost always comes from him and his first step off the line of scrimmage is impressive. His understanding of blocking angles in pass protection pairs well with his aggressive nature right off the snap and he has a natural feel for working with additional blockers to orchestrate double teams.

Tools to Improve/Cons:

John Williams will likely be a guard at the next level given his athletic limitations. He doesn’t play well when asked to get out in space and block on screen plays. When asked to work to the second level, he just doesn’t get there quickly enough and is too late to make an impact on the developing play. The elite angles he plays with at the line compared to the angles he plays within the second level are night and day. He isn’t a fluid mover and can play very tight-hipped which will limit him against NFL edge rushers with elite bend.

Footwork is also a problem for Williams. It’s almost like his mind knows where he needs to go but his feet just can’t get him there quick enough. He tends to cross his feet, and get clunky and imbalanced when trying to work against quicker pass-rushers. Even though he is quick to get his hands up, he struggles to place them in the right position on a down-to-down basis. When they are out of place, defenders are able to get into his chest and force him into a poor anchor.

Potential Team Fits:

NFL Projection:

John Williams has the technical ability to be an exceptional guard at the NFL level. He won’t need to deal with the bend of edge rushers if a team moves him inside. There, he could depend on his ability to diagnose stunts, work with the rest of the line, and shut down the power-rushing defensive tackles at the next level. Front offices will fall in love with his exposure to a balanced college offense which is highly translatable to NFL offenses.