Syracuse cornerback Garrett Williams is on the radar of NFL scouts and draft experts. In the latest mock draft by SI's NFL Draft Bible, Williams is projected to go in the four round of the 2022 NFL Draft. In fact, he is going to the Philadelphia Eagles with the 18th overall selection.
Here is what the Jack Borowsky, Assistant Scouting Director and Writer for NFL Draft Bible, had to say about the pick.
"The Eagles seem to have a revolving door at cornerback. They addressed one side by trading for Darius Slay Jr. but need to add someone to play alongside him. Syracuse put three defensive backs in the NFL from last year's roster, and Williams has the upside to be better than all of them. His football IQ is off the charts for such a young player. His instincts allow him to stay in phase with receivers and make plays in both the pass and run games. Williams' game is similar to Jaire Alexander, and he has the talent to develop into a player of that caliber at the next level."
William's current NFL Draft profile via NFL Draft Bible's Cory Ezring:
Pros: To stand out as a redshirt freshman in a defensive backfield full of future NFL draft picks is no easy feat. Nevertheless, Garrett Williams was outstanding in his first year on the field at Syracuse. The talented corner’s quick feet, fluid change of direction, clean deceleration and twitchy movement skills are immediately apparent on film. These traits translate to sudden transitions with very little wasted movement. Williams uses his movement skills to his advantage in coverage. The young defensive back consistently mirrors in soft press and off coverage. He also has the speed and burst to cover breaking routes and speed-based patterns. What’s more, Williams plays with a controlled physicality at the line of scrimmage and the top of the route stem. In other words, he engages enough to impact the route while remaining safe against route salesmanship. The Syracuse standout also practices sound eye discipline in man coverage. In zone coverage, Williams reads and reacts to the quarterback with effortless fluidity. He plays with sufficient spatial awareness and has the burst to click and close. When Williams takes false steps or flips his hips early, he has the loose hips and burst to recover. Similarly, he typically takes impressive angles to the catch point. At the catch point, Williams is physical and has the hand-eye coordination to play the ball. He consistently times his breaks well. After the catch and against the run, Williams is an excellent and efficient tackler. He repeatedly works through or around blocks and finishes at the tackle point. Moreover, he maintains contain and plays the ballcarrier’s outside leg.
Cons: Although the redshirt freshman had an excellent year with The Orange, his inexperience was evident at times. First and foremost, Williams fails to consistently use his hands in coverage. The talented corner excels when he keeps his hand in the receiver’s hip pocket; however, he employs this technique infrequently. What’s more, Williams plays with inconsistent hip discipline. Crafty route runners force the young corner to flip his hips early and surrender a blind spot. Indeed, the Syracuse star can bite on route salesmanship. Conversely, Williams can be forced to hesitate by nuanced receivers and turn his hips late. Similarly, he often relies too heavily on his movement skills to compensate for improper footwork; this tendency also leads to his flipping his hips late. Furthermore, Williams regularly gives up inside leverage. In doing so, he forces himself to play recovery. In addition to his persistent hip discipline concerns, Williams struggles against large, physical receivers. This style of pass-catcher routinely lands hands on the slender corner’s frame and can separate with push-offs. He is also occasionally boxed out at the catch point. Finally, Williams is a work in progress in zone coverage. He often locks his eyes in the backfield and gives up depth.
Summary: Although he struggled at times during his first season competing at the college level, Garrett Williams had an excellent year. The talented corner has scheme-versatile potential but should be a solid backup immediately thanks to his ability in soft press.
More must-reads: