Joshua Williams NFL Draft 2022: Scouting Report for Fayetteville State CB

HEIGHT: 6'2 7/8"

WEIGHT: 195

HAND: 9 1/2"

ARM: 32 7/8"

WINGSPAN: 6'5 3/4"

40-YARD DASH: 4.53

3-CONE: DNP

SHUTTLE: DNP

VERTICAL: 36"

BROAD: 10'4"

POSITIVES

— Has ideal length for an NFL cornerback. Has quick feet with fluid body control.

— Plays with low pad level and a smooth backpedal. Uses good tempo and works to keep leverage.

— Does a good job of matching up his feet and hands in press coverage. Shoots hands to disrupt routes.

— Good tackler who is willing to put his face on the ball and get the ball-carrier down.

NEGATIVES

— Occasionally gets high when breaking and during play, which causes him to have separation out of breaks.

— Will face a higher caliber of talent in the NFL than he did in Division 2. Played well at Senior Bowl but has yet to face the elite talent that is in the NFL.

— Can struggle to disengage from blockers. Will need to continue to work on strength.

2021 STATISTICS

9 G, 31 TOT, 3 INT, 9 PD

NOTES

— NFL combine invite.

— Senior Bowl invite.

OVERALL

Joshua Williams is a cornerback from D-II Fayetteville State. He has outstanding size and length (6'2", 193 pounds, 32⅞" arms), which is exactly what NFL teams are looking for.

Williams is athletic and fluid for his size. He's a tough player who uses his hands and length well in both the run and pass game.

When defending the run, Williams does a good job of recognizing runs and reacting. When he's already engaged to the blocker in press technique, he often has trouble controlling and disengaging from them. This is where his lack of strength generally shows up the most. When approaching the ball-carrier, he does a very good job of using his size to deliver a blow to the thigh and chopping them down.

Williams is more naturally adept at playing the pass. His long limbs allow him to control receivers when in press, although he can struggle with shiftier athletes. He does a good job matching and getting in phase with receivers, although he gives up ground out of breaks due to his height.

Williams runs well, but he isn't a blazer. That can show up downfield where he can get overextended at times. He has good ball skills that allow him to locate and track the ball with patience and good timing.

Williams will have a steep learning curve in the NFL coming from Division 2, but his size and athletic ability will give him a chance to adapt. However, that isn't likely to happen early in his career. If he can adjust to the speed and physicality of the NFL, he might be able to work his way up to a starting role down the road if he can get a second contract.

GRADE: 6.3 (5th Round: High-Level Developmental Prospect)

OVERALL RANK: 189

POSITION RANK: CB25

PRO COMPARISON: Pierre Desir

Written by B/R NFL Scout Cory Giddings