PROJECTION:
St. Louis Rams
Round 1, Pick 11
Bob Leverone/TSN
Overall grade: 8.1
Position rank: 2
225lb bench: 6
NFL comparison:
Chris McAlister, Ravens
JIMMY WILLIAMS MEASURABLES
Height: 6-2 Weight: 216
40-yard dash: 4.41 10-yard dash:
20-yard shuttle: 4.10 60-yard shuttle:
Broad jump: 9-8 225-lb. bench: 12
3-cone drill: 6.69 Vertical jump: 33
Wonderlic: 20-yard dash:
KEY » * Recently updated Position grade increased Position grade decreased
Jimmy Williams
CB, Virginia Tech
War Room analysis
Coverage skills: Has great height, size, speed and long arms. Is a versatile playmaker. Can play cornerback or safety. Excels in man-to-man coverage, and easily reroutes receivers. Has excellent strength, is physical and challenges for jump balls. Uses size effectively in the red zone. Shows quick, fluid hip movement to turn and run with any receiver. Excels at changing directions. Must improve zone awareness. Grade: 8.4.
Run/pass recognition: Shows only adequate awareness. Gets caught peeking into the backfield; tends to lock on to the quarterback, and must focus more on receivers. Grade: 8.2.
Closing speed: Has rare quickness, change-of-direction skills and speed. Makes quick cuts in tight spaces. Is smooth. Shows an outstanding burst on the ball. Grade: 8.6.
Ball skills: Is a natural playmaker. Is aggressive, and has the size and strength to win battles. Shows good hands. Is a threat to score after every interception. Grade: 8.7.
Run support: Has good size, bulk and strength. Comes up and fills the hole hard. Is physical, tackles well and hits hard. Grade: 8.7.
Bottom line: Williams’s stock is in a freefall after poor showings at the NFL Combine in February and at Virginia Tech’s on-campus workout March 16. And a couple NFL coaches have told us that he is off their teams' draft boards all together. Williams is a big guy who can run but lacks explosiveness and strength. He takes risks and is undisciplined, and he shows poor work habits and questionable character. Plus, he turned off many coaches and scouts at the NFL Combine when he didn't work out and then showed a ****iness and bad attitude during interviews with team officials. After a poor senior season and poor NFL Combine appearance, Williams needed an elite performance at the pre-draft workout at Virginia Tech. Instead, he looked pedestrian.
The good news is the '06 cornerback class is not deep, likely limiting Williams' fall to the middle of Day 1. Some teams already viewed him as a safety rather than a cornerback. He has the size and straight-line speed to make the switch but might lack the intellect to play safety.
No matter, Williams no longer is the No. 1 cornerback. And he certainly isn't the No. 1 safety. Texas safety Michael Huff now is the top defensive back in the '06 draft, and Clemson's Tye Hill and Florida State's Antonio Cromartie are the top cornerbacks. Cromartie, who tore three knee ligaments in July 2005 and didn't play last season, had a stellar workout last week for NFL scouts and coaches.
Dan Pompei analysis
Has a nice combination of size, athleticism and speed. Also could play safety. Would be best suited in a zone scheme. Is tough and physical in run support.