DraftTracker
Round | Team | Pos. | School | Name
Darrent Williams
DB (5-8, 176, 4.3)
Oklahoma State
Grade: 75
Comments
Has exceptional quickness, speed and football instincts. Is smooth in and out of his pedal. Shows great burst out of his breaks and really explodes out of his pedal. He shows terrific short-area burst and closing quickness. Is a natural playmaker with a terrific nose for the ball and excellent ball skills. Is explosive with the ball in his hands after an INT and as a punt return specialist. Is elusive with good vision and elite speed. Lack of size is a huge limitation. He will get pushed around too much by bigger receivers that can dictate their routes. He does not match up well on the perimeter against taller receivers and may never be more than a slot cover corner in the NFL. He gives a good effort versus the run but is not a big factor in that facet of the game. He gets engulfed too easily by blockers and run over too easily by ball carriers. Durability and character are red flags after injury and bowl game suspension during senior season. Williams played in 10-of-11 games and started one as a true freshman in 2001 before becoming a fulltime 13-game starter for the Cowboys as a sophomore in '02. He played in and started 11-of-13 games as a junior in '03 and finished with 66 total tackles, four TFL, six INT's and 17 PBU. Williams only played in seven games as a senior in 2004 due to a broken forearm and a suspension for the team's trip to the Alamo Bowl. He finished with just 21 tackles, zero INT's and one PBU. Williams is a small cornerback with limitations in terms of his potential to play on the outside in the NFL. However, Williams has everything else you look for in an NFL cornerback. He is quick, fast, athletic and instinctive. He has excellent ball skills and he is explosive with the ball in his hand after an interception and as a punt return specialist. Williams' size may prevent him from ever playing a fulltime starting role on the perimeter, but he has the potential to develop into a playmaking slot cover corner with great speed. He also has the potential to develop into an explosive punt return specialist in the NFL. If Williams were a "clean" prospect he would likely come of the board somewhere in the early-to-mid second round range. However, issues concerning his durability and character will cause him to slip on draft day.
* Player biographies are provided by Scouts Inc.