Williams Nwaneri DE/EDGE Nebraska |
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
| Jersey: #96 SUB-POSITION: VERSATILE DL | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Updated: 08/03/2026 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Draft Year: 2027 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| FORTY time: 4.88 seconds (35%*) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Jersey: #96 | |
| SUB-POSITION: VERSATILE DL | |
| Last Updated: 08/03/2026 | |
| Draft Year: 2027 | |
| Forty time: 4.88 seconds (35%*) | |
| Overall Rating: |
83.3 / 100
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| Average rating of opposition Offense player has faced | ||
| Offense Rating: |
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74% |
| Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
| Tackling: |
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58% |
| Pass Rush: |
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67% |
| Run Defense: |
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63% |
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DRAFT PROJECTION:
4th
Overall Rank:
#119
Position rank:
#17 (DL)
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| College Games: 17 College Snaps: 501 | ||
ESPN RATING: 90/100
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247 RATING: 99/100
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RIVALS RATING: 6.1 (100%)
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| Player Comparison* (Similarity level) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Vincent Anthony Jr. - Duke |
|
83% |
| Myles Cole - Texas Tech |
|
81% |
| Wesley Williams - Duke |
|
72% |
Draft Profile: Bio
A consensus five-star and the top edge rusher in the 2024 class out of Lee's Summit North near Kansas City, Nwaneri was an Under Armour All-American who signed with Missouri before redshirting and transferring to Nebraska. He arrived in Lincoln with rare length and four seasons of eligibility remaining, still raw but loaded with tools.In his first real action in 2025, Nwaneri posted three sacks and 28 pressures across thirteen games, adding five tackles for loss and a scoop-and-score. He flashed a two-sack game against Michigan State, with the long, powerful frame and developmental upside that made him a blue-chip prospect carrying the projection while the production builds. At six-foot-seven, he profiles as a long-term project with a rare frame, and the move from Missouri to Nebraska reset his clock with four years still to play. The scoop-and-score hinted at the disruption the tools can eventually produce.
Scouting Report: Strengths
- Rare 79-inch length and a five-star frame to develop on the edge
- Led Nebraska in sacks as a redshirt freshman with toolsy upside
- Beat Michigan State for two sacks and six total pressures
- Recovered two fumbles, returning one for a touchdown
- Flashes the length to long-arm tackles and disrupt throwing lanes
- Generated twenty-eight pressures while still learning the position
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- Below-average timed speed for the edge limits the corner threat
- Production is raw, with the wins outnumbered by quiet snaps
- Lags against the run as he learns to use his length
- Very early in his development, with eligibility timing to confirm
Scouting Report: Summary
Nwaneri is a developmental swing on rare tools, a former five-star with 79-inch length who led Nebraska in sacks as a redshirt freshman while still learning the position. He beat Michigan State for two sacks and six pressures, recovered two fumbles with one returned for a score, and flashed the reach to long-arm tackles and bat down throws. The frame and the length are the kind a defensive-line coach dreams on, even with the game far from finished.The tape is appropriately raw. His timed speed is below average for the edge, so the corner threat is limited, the production is uneven with quiet stretches between the flashes, and his run defense lags as he learns to play with leverage and use his length at the point. He is very early in his development, and his draft-eligibility timing is worth confirming given how young he is. This is a projection on traits, not on a finished body of work.
The bet is on the length, the frame, and the freshman flashes, a high-ceiling project who needs time, coaching, and reps before the tools translate. He has to add play strength and refine his hands to become more than an occasional disruptor, but the raw materials are special. He grades as a developmental edge worth a mid-round swing, with the upside well ahead of the current production.
How other scouting services rate Williams Nwaneri (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
230.0
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
32.0
*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.