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Sam Williams NFL Draft Profile
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Sam Williams Scouting ReportWilliams’ has an exceptionally quick first step for his size. He shows off intense closing speed, and he also possesses the pursuit speed necessary to close off runners on the outside. Williams can cover a ton of ground around the edge with long, powerful strides, but his physical strengths extend beyond his straight-line mobility. He has well-built frame with a great deal of stored power. Sam has good length for his size, which he can use to assume positive leverage. With his explosiveness, density, and length, Williams can be dangerous on bull rushes. Williams’ strong base allows him to maintain positioning in the run game. The Ole Miss DE has also shown he can disengage blocks promptly and wrap up ball carriers. He has the upper body strength to wrench down anchors when stacking against the run, and he’s a sturdy tackler who engulfs opponents with his length and mass. Williams has the athleticism to drop into coverage on occasion, although he’s not instinctive or dynamic in that aspect. He flashes lateral agility in space, and he also has the capacity to accelerate while turning around the edge.
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Areas for ImprovementWilliams lacks a consistent pass-rushing plan, and this can cause him to be rather tentative at times. He doesn’t always play to his athletic maximum, and his feet are sometimes idle as he attempts to read plays. The Ole Miss DE is slow to react to options and ball transfers, and he’s baited frequently by misdirections. His inconsistent attack angles can afford opponents enhanced leverage. He also gives up too much surface area at times.
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Sam Williams Career at Ole MissWilliams enrolled early with the Rebels and wasted no time adding to his stat sheet. As a true junior in 2019, Williams started eight games in his first SEC action and played in 12. Over that span, the Ole Miss DE accumulated 38 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, 6 sacks, an interception, and a forced fumble. Williams was immediately expected to return as a defensive catalyst in 2020, but during that ensuing offseason, Williams’s future was doubted. In July of 2020, Williams was arrested on a felony charge of sexual battery. He was subsequently suspended for an indefinite period of time by Ole Miss. Little information was revealed regarding Williams’ case, but his charges were ultimately dropped less than two months later — the suspension was lifted as a result. The Ole Miss DE put up another productive year, logging 39 tackles, 8 tackles for loss, 4 sacks, and a forced fumble in 10 games.
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Sam Williams NFL Draft Player ProfileAthletically, Williams checks almost every box. He’s long, well-built, explosive, and sturdy, and while his bend isn’t great, he has displayed measured flexibility around the edge. He can generate pressure and discomfort with his raw traits alone. However, at the NFL level, he’ll need to combine those raw traits with hand usage, awareness, and multitasking ability if he wants to be a starter. With this in mind, Williams’ draft range is large. If he develops in 2021, he has Round 1 upside. Yet, his lack of refinement, as well as off-field red flags, could render him a Day 3 pick. At Ole Miss’ Elite Camp several years ago, Williams reportedly logged a 4.4 40-yard dash and a 40-inch vertical. Since then, he’s tacked on 15 pounds and now stands at around 6’4″, 265 pounds. Williams checks almost every athletic box. But as we know, athletes and football players are two different things. Can Williams be a productive football player at the NFL level? Let’s take a look.
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