Film Watched: Cincinnati 2021, BYU 2020, Shrine Bowl
Pro's:
Feisty cornerback who has a nasty temperament and aggression by the bucketful
Urgent; quick to diagnose and engage, and steams downhill to the football
Zero plays off; brings intensity every time the ball is snapped, and wears on opponents
Quick feet allow him to match up with shifty slot receivers throughout their routes
Makes his presence known throughout the route, leeching on to the receivers hip all the way
Excellent on-field instincts to operate zones and anticipate threats
Forceful hitter; brings the physicality when it’s time to make contact
Versatile, having aligned all over the secondary during his three years in Houston
Con's:
Small frame that lacks the playing weight to compete physically against bigger receivers
Serious length issues, and will have to ply his trade on the inside at the next level
Big play ability dried up when transferring from JuCo to FBS – length at the catch point more exposed
Ball carriers can escape his arms on tackles, despite the aggression he brings to contact
Good agility but doesn’t display quite the same long speed – can get stacked and exposed by vertical routes
The Verdict:
“Houston do love their undersized corners! Whilst Marcus Jones may be hogging the limelight, spare a thought for his Cougar teammate Damarion Williams, who lined up opposite Jones and had a very good collegiate career in his own right. Williams made the jump from the JuCo ranks and immediately found his feet at the FBS level, being named a starter in his first year. Much like Jones, Williams plays with a physicality that belies his size, and demonstrates heightened awareness that will stand him in good stead at the next level. Williams has short arms and a serious deficiency in play strength that will limit his upside as an outside corner, but has everything else in his locker to be a proficient slot corner with a range of responsibilities. You might not want him to bump and run with big inside pass catchers, but Williams is a high character, high effort prospect with enough tools to fill out a cornerback depth chart.”
PREVIOUSLY THE FOUNDER OF NFL DRAFT UK, SIMON HAS BEEN COVERING COLLEGE FOOTBALL AND THE NFL DRAFT SINCE 2009. BASED IN MANCHESTER, SIMON IS ALSO CO-CREATOR & WEEKLY GUEST OF THE COLLAPSING POCKET PODCAST.