Syracuse cornerback Garrett Williams has all the pieces to be a solid player on any defense. Experience and success in a starring role highlights one of many strengths from Williams, as he earned All-ACC honors in all three years of his college career and led the ACC in pass breakups in his freshman and sophomore years.
Williams has excellent ball skills, good hands, and an exceptional leaping ability, which forced quarterbacks throughout the conference to proceed with extreme caution as they rarely threw the ball to his side. Flexibility and loose hips also allow him to smoothly transition out of his backpedal, which also allows him to properly react to quarterback fakes. In press coverage, his command presence is formidable, as he plays physically with a powerful initial punch at the line. Moreover, he plays much larger than his listed height and weight at 5′ 10″ and just under 200-lbs. Williams shows much promise in terms of versatility, as he plays excellent run defense, specifically by consistently finishing tackles. There are many who believe that his physicality can equate to a transition to the safety position, if needed.
There are glaring issues regarding Williams’ durability, size, and speed. In 2022, Williams tore his ACL, which caused his draft stock to drop slightly, which could, in turn, affect his speed in the long run. Issues regarding footwork have also been noted.
If Williams is medically cleared and has shown to have not lost a step due to the ACL injury, the Raiders should consider taking a flier on Williams at #100-overall to fill the role of a possible CB2 or backup slot-corner in relief of Nate Hobbs. Moreover, his versatility could justify Patrick Graham moving him all over the field, including at the safety position. However, there is no denying that due diligence must be done in the evaluation process before the Raiders decide to push the button on selecting him.
