From now until the 2025 NFL Draft, 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, down to Day 3 selections and priority undrafted free agents. Today, a scouting report on California cornerback Nohl Williams.
#3 NOHL WILLIAMS, CB, CALIFORNIA (rSR) – 6003, 199 lbs.
Combine Measurements
| Player | Ht/Wt | Hand Size | Arm Length | Wingspan |
| Nohl Williams | 6003/199 | 9 | 30 3/4 | 75 1/2 |
| 40-Yard Dash | 10-Yard Dash | Short Shuttle | 3-Cone | |
| 4.50 | 154 | 4.25 | 6.97 | |
| Broad Jump | Vertical | Bench Press | ||
| 10’0” | 33.5 | 19 |
The Good
— Good size and solid length
— Experience in man and zone coverages
— Good football IQ; keeps receivers guessing on coverage
— Uses jams/fake jams to keep receivers off balance
— Uses sideline to his advantage and gets his head around
— Good spacing and awareness in zone
— Impressive ball skills and can turn a pick into a score
— Physical cut blocker in space on receivers in zone
— Good hand placement when taking on blocks
— Extensive special team experience and returns kicks
The Bad
— Quicker releases will beat him off the line of scrimmage
— Overly handsy in coverage; too many penalties
— Transition at break point is only adequate, leaving him in chase mode
— Will bite on the double move
— Physical receivers can move him to create space
— Marginal play strength and physicality as a tackler
— Reluctantly helps against the run
— Won’t chase and make tackle not in his area
— Hyper focus on receiver will cause him to miss the runner through his area
Bio
— Career: 203 tackles, 134 solo, 4 TFLs, 14 INTs for 116 yards, 1 TD, 25 PBUs, 4 FRs, 2 FRTD, 3 FFs: 27 KRs for 651 yards, 1 TD, 11 PRs for 74 yards
— 2024: 52 tackles, 33 solo, 1 TFL, 7 INTs for 54 yards, 1 TD, 9 PBU, 1FF: 12 KR for 331 yards, 1 TD
— 2020 – 2022 at UNLV; 2023-2024 at California
— 2024 Consensus All-American
— 2024 Led the FBS in interceptions (7)
— First team All-ACC 2024
— 52 games/49 starts
— East-West Shrine Bowl invitee
— In high school, helped his team to its first-ever state and Southern section titles
— Played cornerback, safety, wide receiver, and punt returner in high school
— Father, Andre, played football at Oregon
— Engaged in UC Berkeley’s “Incarceration to College” program working with at-risk youths
— Wrote his thesis on therapy in juvenile detention centers
Tape Breakdown
Nohl Williams is a fifth-year cornerback with good height and weight. He has solid arm length and hand size and is athletic. He played primarily outside to the field side and was used in man and zone coverages.
When playing in man coverage, he aligns with good balance, and before the snap, he likes to vary his stance to keep the receiver guessing on the coverage. He has solid patience and footwork to mirror the receiver and will use an aggressive jam and fake jams to keep the receiver on his toes. Using his solid speed and football IQ, he can stay in phase on deep routes, use the sideline to his advantage, and is good at getting his head around to find the ball.
In zone coverage, he displays good spacing and awareness when playing the underneath zone. His change of direction to click and close on the ball is solid, and he is a good cut tackler in space. In the deep zone, he gets good depth to keep the play in front of him.
Over his career, he had impressive ball production. He is aggressive at the catch point to get a hand in to break up the pass. Of the interceptions I saw, it was a right place, right time situation more than coverage. He has capable hands to make the interception and had four touchdown returns in his career.
Against the run, Williams uses good hand placement and a solid base to take on blockers and was solid shedding blocks. On the runs that come his way, he will, somewhat reluctantly, get involved in the tackle.
These are all against Stanford when he played much more physically than in the other games I watched.
Williams has added value with a lot of experience on special teams, including returning kicks.
Receivers with quick footwork who jab outside before cutting inside can win against him.
Williams is continually active with his hands within the route, and I saw three defensive pass interference flags in the games I watched. The transition at the break point is only adequate, leaving him to recover the distance lost. Susceptible to double moves, including the stop and go. Marginal physicality as a wrap tackler and physical receivers can create space at the top of their route. He doesn’t chase the ball. He will make tackles if they come into his area, but he doesn’t go looking to make tackles.
His focus on the receiver will cause him not to see runners in his area.
Facing the double move.
Late in the game, needing a stop to get the ball back, the effort needs to be better than this.
Conclusion
Overall, Williams has good size, solid length, and good athleticism. He has experience in man and zone coverage and played primarily on the field side. He plays with good aggressiveness and has very good ball skills. In man coverage, he likes to keep the receiver guessing and is good at trailing the receiver. In zone, he uses good spacing and solid change of direction to make plays in space. Against the run, he will help out on plays in his vicinity.
Areas to improve include being less handsy within the route, better mirroring at the break point, and not biting on double moves. Playing with more physicality against the run and adding play strength would also be beneficial.
In the first three games I watched, Williams was a solid cornerback. Against Stanford, his coaches had him travel with Cardinal standout receiver Elic Ayomanor. The intensity and aggressiveness were turned way up. He was an alpha on the field—physical and in your face the whole game—not just in coverage but as a run defender as well. Did something click late in the season to play that way, or was it the challenge of the matchup?
His best fit would be in a man-coverage scheme as an outside cornerback. He could play in the slot, but he would be better against big slot receivers rather than shifty ones.
For a player comp, I’ll go with Kristian Fulton. He, too, was a good athlete, had success playing press, and looked to make plays on the ball.
Projection: Late Day 2/Early Day 3
Depot Draft Grade: 7.4 – Fourth Round (Rotational Player)
Games Watched: 2024 – At Auburn, Vs Miami, Vs North Carolina State, Vs Syracuse, Vs Stanford
