The 2023 NFL draft is quickly approaching.
Miami is hoping those picks can help them build on a roster that reached the playoffs this past season for the first time since 2016.
This article series is intended to be an introduction to these players so fans are familiar with a number of options and why they make sense for the Dolphins.
We’ll dive into some simple biographical information, the pros and cons of their game and how they fit into Miami’s scheme or depth chart.
SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY CB GARRETT WILLIAMS
Basic Background
Career Stats: 152 total tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, 4 INTs, 27 passes defended
Williams was a three-year starter for the Orange and was a consistent contributor for a team that allowed a respectable 23 points per game last season.
He was named a freshman All-American and was voted to the All-ACC team three times during his career. Williams was named a team captain before the start of the 2022 season as just a redshirt sophomore.
In 2020 and 2021, Williams led the ACC in pass breakups with 12 and 10, respectively.
His career at Syracuse came to an early end when he suffered a season-ending ACL injury against Notre Dame in late October.
Pros of Williams' Game
Williams’ main strengths center around his aggressive mentality and aptitude for playing in zone coverage.
He’s a highly intelligent cornerback who understands how to feel out route concepts, pass off receivers to his teammates and click and close to make plays on the ball. He shines coming downhill both in coverage and run support.
Williams is willing to fill his gap in the run fit with enthusiasm, and his natural length gives him a solid tackle radius.
He makes a lot of plays on the ball when he can keep his eyes in the backfield and attack downhill. This allows him to use his length and hit power to disrupt receivers as they’re securing the ball.
Cons of Williams' Game
Williams’ biggest weaknesses are playing the ball over his shoulder and his middling long speed. He’s not slow, but players with better explosiveness will separate from him on vertical passing concepts. When that happens, Williams tends to get a little grabby and rely on his length to bail him out. That works in college, but the NFL will make that more difficult.
He’ll have to improve his ability to locate the ball down the field with his back to the quarterback. Learning how to better read the eyes and body language of receivers would go a long way.
Lastly, while Williams’ length, mentality and overall athletic profile project well to man coverage, he’s firmly a zone coverage player right now.
HOW GARRETT WILLIAMS FITS THE MIAMI DOLPHINS
Miami never would have drafted a player like Williams prior to the arrival of new defensive coordinator Vic Fangio. Fangio’s scheme uses a lot of zone coverage and emphasizes the run defense of its defensive backs.
Those are two of Williams’ biggest strengths. He would be a perfect fit in Fangio’s scheme from the start, thanks to his previous experience in zone coverage, natural length and willingness to defend the run.
While Miami has a lot of names on the cornerback depth chart, there are a lot of questions too. Byron Jones, Nik Needham and Trill Williams are coming off major injuries. Xavien Howard is approaching 30 years old and just had arguably one of his worst seasons.
There’s a chance Miami will need help at cornerback this season, but there’s no doubt the Dolphins will need it in the foreseeable future. Williams projects as a solid starter on the outside in Fangio’s scheme.
Odds Williams Makes it to 51
As always, these predictions are difficult. However, we’re confident Williams will be on the board when Miami picks at 51, and he might be on the board when they pick at 77 or 85.
Williams is coming off a major injury (ACL tear), which even if he competes at the combine will push his draft stock down some.
Also, he’s a scheme-specific player based on his current profile. Unless a team believes he’s got untapped man-coverage potential, a number of teams will be out on Williams no matter what.
This draft class also features a deep, talented cornerback group. Given his injury, Williams could get pushed down the board for players of similar skill without that concern on their resume.
Although it’s unlikely Williams is ready to play right away, Miami could buy low on him knowing he’s a perfect scheme fit and get a cheap starter for the future.
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