James Williams LB Miami | NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
James Williams LB Miami
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
PLAY STYLE: COVERAGE LB | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Last Updated: 04/21/2024 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Draft Year: 2024 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
40 time: 4.65 seconds (67%*) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Age: 21.8 DOB: 02/15/2003 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Bowl Invite: Senior Bowl | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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PLAY STYLE: COVERAGE LB | |
Last Updated: 04/21/2024 | |
Draft Year: 2024 | |
40 time: 4.65 seconds (67%*) | |
Age: 21.8 DOB: 02/15/2003 | |
Bowl Invite: Senior Bowl | |
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Overall Rating: | 80.3 / 100 | |
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Average rating of opposition Offense player has faced | ||
Offense Rating: |
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80% |
Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
Tackling: |
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68% |
Pass Rush: |
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56% |
Run Defense: |
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66% |
Coverage: |
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89% |
DRAFT PROJECTION:
5th
Overall Rank:
#168
Position rank:
#13
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College Games: 33 College Snaps: 1769 | ||
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Player Comparison* (Similarity level) | ||
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JL Skinner - Boise State |
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64% |
Kyle Hamilton - Notre Dame |
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61% |
Jordan Battle - Alabama |
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53% |
Drafted: ROUND: 7 - Pick Number: 242 (TEN)
Draft Profile: Bio
James Williams, a standout safety from the University of Miami, originates from Ft. Lauderdale, FL, where he was a top-15 national recruit out of Plantation American Heritage High School. Choosing to stay close to home, Williams turned down offers from numerous elite programs to play for the Hurricanes. His impact was immediate, earning a starting position as a freshman and contributing significantly across all three years of his collegiate career. His stat line over this period includes 162 tackles, two for loss, four interceptions, 13 pass deflections, and three forced fumbles. His sophomore year was particularly notable, with 73 tackles, an interception, and four passes batted.In preparation for the NFL Draft, Williams has transitioned from playing safety to linebacker, a move reflective of his versatile skill set and the evolving needs of NFL defenses. This positional change is poised to leverage his physical prowess and coverage abilities in a linebacker role.
Scouting Report: Strengths
- Eager to come downhill as a tackler and plays with a physical edge, and he’s effective as a blitzer.
- Possesses an NFL frame with strong hands, the ability to close quickly on underneath routes, and the size to tackle with a thump.
- Demonstrates good body control and balance to redirect and break down in the open field.
- Benefits from a tall frame and long arms, plus strong hands, resulting in a substantial catch radius.
- Shows great route recognition and click-and-close ability.
- Williams exhibits excellent sideline-to-sideline speed, enabling him to cover a vast range of the field rapidly.
- He demonstrates advanced diagnosis skills and quick read-and-react capabilities, staying consistently near the ball.
- As a pass defender, Williams showcases his ability to quickly close spaces in zone coverage and effectively cover tight ends and running backs.
- His durability and upside, with a continuous improvement curve, speak to his work ethic and potential longevity in the league.
- Williams’ knack for being a disruptive force in run defense highlights his aggressive nature and pursuit abilities.
- His coverage skills are further accentuated by a superb potential as a pass-coverage linebacker, offering flexibility in defensive scheming.
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- His transition from safety to linebacker raises questions about his instinctual play at the new position.
- Williams' exceptional size, while advantageous, poses potential challenges in adapting to NFL safety standards.
- He may require additional development time to refine his technique against blocks.
- His coverage capabilities, though decent, may experience hitches due to average agility in transitions.
- There's a potential for him to initially struggle with recognizing and reacting to complex offensive schemes at the pro level.
Scouting Report: Summary
James Williams enters the NFL Draft as a versatile defensive asset, with a skill set that makes him a dual threat at linebacker and safety. His tape from Miami showcases a player with explosive playmaking ability, a relentless motor, and the kind of physicality that defensive coordinators covet. Williams' range and speed allow him to cover the field laterally with ease, making him a potent force against both the run and pass. His ability to diagnose plays quickly and react with decisiveness sets him apart, offering an immediate boost to special teams and potential to disrupt offensive schemes from Day 1. However, his transition from college safety to an NFL-caliber linebacker will demand refined technique and a deeper understanding of linebacker instincts.While Williams' upside is undeniable, there are areas of concern that need addressing. His size and physicality, though impressive, raise questions about his fit in a traditional safety role at the next level. The adaptation to linebacker, while promising, is not without its challenges; his ability to take on blocks and navigate the intricacies of linebacker play will require focused coaching. Moreover, his coverage skills, while solid, will be tested against the NFL's quicker and more sophisticated passing games. Currently, Williams looks like a fourth round high ceiling prospect.
James Williams percentiles vs other Linebackers (NFL Combine historically - higher value represents better perfomance)
How other scouting services rate James Williams (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
129.9
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
15.0
*Percentile Ranking in Player's Position Group (NFL Combine Historical Data): This percentile reflects how a player's specific statistics rank
in comparison to historical performances at the NFL Combine, specifically within their position group. A higher percentile indicates a better performance.
For instance, being in the 90th percentile for a particular stat means the player outperformed 90% of their peers in that category.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.