In the NFC South quarterbacks such as Drew Brees, Matt Ryan and Cam Newton are hard to defend. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers need a secondary that can stop the aerial attack. LSU cornerback Greddy Wiliams may be just what the Buccaneers need.
The Need
Sitting with the number five overall selection in the up coming draft, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers should be able to walk away with a starting caliber player in any position. Greedy Williams may be exactly what they need.
The 2018 season was a disappointment. Especially for the secondary. The secondary finished the season fifth in total yards allowed, third in points allowed and 26th in interceptions. As a result, opposing quarterbacks completed 72.5% of their passes and had a combined 110.9 passer rating. Both stats were tied for worst in the league. Needless to say the secondary needs help.
The Statistics
At 6’3” and 184 lbs Williams is a tall corner. He earned his starting position at LSU as a red-shirt freshman and never looked back. Here are his stats:
2017: 38 tackles, 26 solo tackles, 6 interceptions, 11 pass deflections.
2018: 33 tackles, 23 solo tackles, 2 interceptions, 9 pass deflections.
Impressive stats for a corner who will only be 21 years old when he enters the NFL. He looks even more impressive in a break down by Pro Football Focus. In 2018 he played 230 snaps in coverage and only allowed 15 receptions on 34 targets. This left opposing quarterbacks with a passer rating of only 38.7.
Size and Speed
At 6’3″ Williams has the height, but he is slender. The receivers he has covered in college, will not compare to the size and speed he will face in the NFL. He will need to put on some muscle in order to stay aggressive at the line of scrimmage. The weight will also help him complete for the ball when it is in the air much like he has done in college.
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His speed is good. He is will stick with receivers done the side line and in any routes. The combination of both speed and height will have scouts intrigued and watching closely during the NFL combine.
Ball Skills
His numbers speak for themselves. He is a ball hawk who attacks with great confidence. He will contest any receiver in the air with the hands that make him dangerous on 50/50 balls.
Man Coverage
Through two seasons Williams has been exceptional in man coverage. He stays with his opponent and has the awareness to track them through the route. He will use his hands more than needed when he feels like he is losing the battle. Most notably, he has the ability to turn and locate the ball. Scouts at the next level will love that..
Zone Coverage
Williams has room to grow in this area. Zone coverage requires a defender to read an offense and communicate with the other defenders. That is not to say Williams doesn’t do this well, he just has a few missteps. This allows time to for a wide receiver to create a passing lane. He may struggle at first, but with some coaching he will improve.
Run Support
This could be the area of his game I only have concerns with. His size may have affected his confidence in tackling. He is consistently low and doesn’t give up his body all the time. Again, much like zone coverage, he can be coached. Once he gets some size in camp, I anticipate he grows into a willing tackler.
Overall
Williams is a plug in day one starter. If the Tampa Bay Buccaneers want to improve their secondary Williams would go a long way in that effort. You can expect growing pains, but he will become a solid starter with Pro Bowl capabilities and potential. He possesses the buzz words, quick twitch, fluid and flexible. He will be a solid pick, but at number five will there be a guy who is a better fit for the Bucs needs?
