:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/72222248/1431166592.0.jpg "Garrett Williams scouting report: 2023 NFL Draft profile, prospect ranking")
Garrett Williams is entering the NFL Draft after spending four seasons with Syracuse, standing out as a redshirt freshman before becoming one of the ACC's top cornerbacks in 2020. He impressed at the NFL Combine this year and is projected to go in the first round by some mock drafts.
Williams really made a name for himself as a sophomore in 2020, logging 64 tackles, two interceptions, and a touchdown through 11 games played. He continued to be a standout as he ended up earning All-ACC selections in 2020, 2021, and 2022 while leading the ACC in pass breakups in his sophomore and junior seasons.
Garrett Williams: Scouting Report
Williams is expected to start his NFL career as a solid backup with plenty of potential to end up as a starter wherever he ends up landing. At 5'10″ and 192 lbs., he has plenty of physicality and has shown a lot of agility and footwork which helps him excel in matching routes. His speed down the field could use some work, but he has decent burst speed to close the gap on receivers after a catch.
Lance Zierlein, an NFL analyst, wrote that Williams is an “outside cornerback with the footwork/athleticism to match routes with good balance and smooth transitions. Williams possesses average size but can be a willing tackler when the opportunity arises. He can mirror and match the release but is inconsistent playing with his back to the quarterback.”
Mock Draft landing spots
Williams is expected to go in the middle rounds of the draft this year. ESPN's Matt Miller has him headed to the Panthers toward the end of the fourth round. CBS' Ryan Palmer has the Vikings picking him up in the third, and The Athletic's Dane Brugler has him falling to the Broncos in the fifth round.