Prospect on the rise: Duke Williams, FS - Nevada

[Bwood]

It still baffles me that Duke Williams has yet to be discussed here. A lot of scouts have him as their #1 safety, most you never see him ranked less than the #3 safety.

Probably the same stupid "level of competition" knocks that Phillip Thomas and Eric Fisher get...

Anyways, on to the evaluation.

Duke has good size (6'1 200 lbs) and good speed (4.3/4.4 FYD). He was the lone play maker for Nevada's defense, notching 100 tackles, 5.5 for a loss, 3 FF's, 2 recovered, 8 PD's.

As you can tell from the stats, teams have stayed away from throwing the ball Williams way. Most of his numbers come from his excellent support in the run, but he is definitely no slouch in the pass game.

He lays the wood just as hard as Reid or Elam, but isn't a liability in coverage like them. He is a sure tackler in the open field and a true ball hawk. All the instincts you want in your last line of defense.

http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=V94gcyBzl_4&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DV94gcyBzl_4

http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=3d4d2UqRpLA&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D3d4d2UqRpLA

[Catalyst]

Don't know a ton about him. I haven't seen him rated higher than the 4th round, but I'll have to do some research.

[Bwood]

My top 5 safeties are

1. Phillip Thomas

2. Duke Williams

3. Kenny Vaccarro

4. Matt Elam

5. Tony Jefferson

[Bwood]

Haha I would freak the fug out if he was available in the 4th.

[DaCityKats]

i watched the bowl game vs Arizona and came away wanting more. it was times where he got out matched by the WR, so for him to be your 2nd ranked safety is extreme. compared your bottom 3 to your top 2 i think they are more complete safety prospects and have shown the ability to come up and play in the box as well as center field.

same thing as Thomas, i wanted to like him because he led the nation in INTs, but after watching his cut ups and bowl game i wanted more. he missed several open field tackles, but both can improve their stock at the senior bowl.

[Bwood]

i watched the bowl game vs Arizona and came away wanting more. it was times where he got out matched by the WR, so for him to be your 2nd ranked safety is extreme. compared your bottom 3 to your top 2 i think they are more complete safety prospects and have shown the ability to come up and play in the box as well as center field.

same thing as Thomas, i wanted to like him because he led the nation in INTs, but after watching his cut ups and bowl game i wanted more. he missed several open field tackles, but both can improve their stock at the senior bowl.

Yeah don't base that much off one bowl game lol. If you're going to do that, Jefferson and Elam were average, almost below average in their bowl games too.

[4Corners]

No

[CPF4LIFE]

Right now im all in on Swearinger in the 4th or 5th. I think he can start from day one.

[SCMunnerlyn1]

Right now im all in on Swearinger in the 4th or 5th. I think he can start from day one.

This guy wants a cookie from me.. I can tell!

[Panthersguru14]

Haha I would freak the fug out if he was available in the 4th.

I personally think that we will be waiting until later in the draft to get a safety since Campbell and jones played well at the end of the year. So I wouldn't be surprised if we went after a small school guy later in the draft. Good Post I like him

[BigSyke]

i like shawn williams from georgia too.

[Bwood]

No

Solid opinion dude. I bet you know tons about draft prospects and player evaluation. And you're right about small school prospects being terrible NFL players, yeah and Amini Silatolu is an illiterate bench warmer.

Please drop some more knowledge on us dude, your posts are so insightful I can't get enough. More, please, try harder.

[DaCityKats]

Yeah don't base that much off one bowl game lol. If you're going to do that, Jefferson and Elam were average, almost below average in their bowl games too.

Jefferson appeared hurt, and Elam coverage was not as bad as Williams.plus I have seen Elam and Jefferson for 2 plus seasons so I have seen a larger body of work to know they are the top of the class.

[OnlyPantherFaninMaine]

I want the best cover safety in this class. I'm sick and tired of watching safeties for the Panthers get burned time and time again in coverage while occasionally laying a big hit in run support. I really wish there was an Earl Thomas/Eric Berry type in this draft class.

Is there a safety prospect who is clearly better in coverage than the rest of the crop?