From now until the 2024 NFL Draft takes place, we will scout and create profiles for as many prospects as possible, examining their strengths, weaknesses, and what they can bring to an NFL franchise. These players could be potential top 10 picks, all the way down to Day 3 selections and priority undrafted free agents. Today, a scouting report on Miami safety, James Williams.
#20 JAMES WILLIAMS, S, MIAMI (JR) — 6043, 230 pounds
Senior Bowl
Measurements
| Player | Ht/Wt | Hand Size | Arm Length | Wingspan |
| James Williams | 6043/230 | 9 1/4″ | 33 1/8″ | 79 5/8″ |
| 40-Yard Dash | 10-Yard Dash | Short Shuttle | 3-Cone | |
| N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
| Broad Jump | Vertical | Bench Press | ||
| N/A | N/A | N/A |
The Good
— Elite size and good length
— Plenty of starting experience at 21 years old
— Works well downhill on underneath throws
— Solid mobility in zone coverage
— Willing run defender
— Flashes physicality when opportunity arises
— Better tackler near the LOS
The Bad
— Marginal range and allows receivers to get behind him
— High pad level in his back pedal
— Marginal change of direction in off coverage
— Prone to getting caught with eyes in backfield, leaving his coverage responsibility open
— Press coverage technique needs work on jam/footwork
— Speed overall is adequate
— Does not consistently play to his size
— Allows too many yards after contact when tackling
— Mental processing in the run game leaves him slow to react
— No urgency in his game
— Takes cheap shots at opponents away from play/after the whistle.
Bio
— Career: 162 tackles, 106 solo, 2 TFL, 3 FF, 3 FR, 17 PBU, 4 INT
— 2023; 73 tackles, 48 solo, .5 TFL, 2 FF, 1 FR, 6 PBU, 1 INT
— 33 games, 29 starts
— Senior Bowl invitee
— Second on team in tackles each of the last two seasons
— Recruited by dozens of programs before choosing Miami
— Birthday Feb. 15, 2023 (21)
Tape Breakdown
James Williams is a safety with elite size and weight, very good arm length and solid hand size. He was used in a variety of ways in college, including deep safety, in the slot and in the box.
Against the pass when aligned deep, he was most often the boundary safety to the short side of the field. He is best working downhill in the robber role to handle the underneath roots. He has solid burst to react to throws in front of him and is difficult to throw over in the short and intermediate areas. In zone coverage, he has solid mobility and follows the quarterback’s eyes.
He gets the pass breakup here using his length.
In the box or in the slot he was often aligned over the tight end. He displayed patience at the line of scrimmage, solid athleticism, and solid physicality to combat tight ends within their routes. As a blitzer, he has good acceleration with a free lane.
Against the run, he is willing to stick his nose in to attempt tackles near the LOS. He displayed improvement later in the 2023 season to set the edge and force the ball back inside. In all areas of the field, he will attempt to make the big hit if the opportunity presents itself.
As the deep safety, Williams has marginal range, even as a split safety, and is slow to react to throws to the outside and doesn’t maintain proper depth. When in man coverage, his pad level is adequate, and he stays high in his backpedal and has marginal change of direction. In off man, he allows too much space to match the receiver and react to route breaks. Will get caught looking in the backfield and allow his receiver to run free. In zone coverage, he drifts out of his area. When blitzing, he doesn’t get through blockers and can be sidestepped by quarterbacks. He will line up in press coverage but is poor at jamming receivers. His speed is adequate and quicker tight ends can stack him on deep routes.
Eyes in the backfield on both of these plays leave TEs running free to the end zone.
Williams does not play to his size, and his tackling overall is marginal. When facing ball carriers head on, he bends at the waist, is tentative and gives up too many yards after contact. He doesn’t drive through the tackle. In sub-packages when aligned in a linebacker position, his mental processing is marginal, and he is slow to react to the play.
His tackling is not as forceful as his size may suggest.
The safeties are the last line of defense. Williams’ angles to the ball carrier take away the leverage and allow big runs.
There is no urgency to most of his game, Williams only occasionally stepping up his aggressiveness in late-game situations. Takes cheap shots at smaller opponents when they aren’t looking or after the whistle.
Conclusion
Overall, Williams has elite size and solid athletic ability. He has experience playing as the deep safety, in the box and over the tight end when inline or in the slot. As a deep safety he displays good quickness to get downhill to throws in front of him. The potential is there to handle tight ends in man coverage, and he can be difficult to throw over due to his big frame. Against the run, he is willing to stick his nose in to make a play on the ball and he will make the big hit when it’s available.
Areas to improve include playing with urgency on every play, improving his fundamentals in coverage and knowing his role in coverage situations. Improving tackling technique, consistent physicality and mental processing will help him in the run game. And his propensity to take cheap shots needs to cease.
I am not as high on him as others may be. The potential role I see is as a sub package box safety to play in the big nickel or dime defense and match up with tight ends. If he improves the mental side of his game, a full-time strong safety position may be down the road.
On the outside, Williams is very intriguing. A player of his size at the safety position is rare, and it gives you hope for a plethora of ways to use him. Some teams may think he could be a linebacker as well, and a team will find a way to use him. The Steelers have a need at safety and at linebacker. They don’t need a player who could be one of those. They need players who know their role, not a project.
For a comp, I’ll go with Jayron Kearse. A player of comparable size with ability who needed to be more consistent with his effort and urgency.
Projection: Mid-Day 3
Depot Draft Grade: 6.6 Backup/Special Teamer (5th Round)
Games Watched: 2023 – vs Texas A&M, At North Carolina, Vs Clemson, At Florida State, At Louisville
