Name: CB Aaron Williams
School: Texas
Size: 6'0, 204 lbs
Expected Round: 2nd
40 Time: 4.55s
Career Stats: Click Here.
Player Previews: CBS; Walter Football; NFL Combine [If you would like your website included, please e-mail me!]
Strengths: Quick in a box and can get to the ball to break up the play. Able to read offenses and can snuff out quick pass plays and runs. Able and willing to stop run plays and does a great job of holding his ground against blocking receivers. Has quick feet to stick with larger receivers on routes. Able special teams player.
Weaknesses: Struggles to turn around against the deep ball while maintaining speed, like Kyle Arrington. Struggles against shifty players. Not very fast. Not a wrap-up tackler, but instead tries to knock the receiver over with a pop. Bites against play action passes. Sometimes struggles with angles and will take deep angles to stop the play (as opposed to shallow angles, like Brandon Meriweather), and as a result he'll give up more yards than necessary.
Why and Why Not the Patriots after the jump, and my final verdict!
Why the Patriots?: The Patriots are in the market for another cornerback and Williams would provide solid depth for the roster. He has the upside of a starting cornerback and, at worst, he can be converted into a safety. He has experience covering big targets and the Patriots struggled against some of the larger receivers last season. Williams reminds me a lot of Kyle Arrington, without the tackling ability and with better ball skills.
Why Not the Patriots?:The Patriots already have an Arrington. Williams comes at too high of a price to be the 4th (or 5th behind Darius Butler) CB on the depth chart. The team needs an awesome nickelback who can cover the shifty wide receivers like Davone Bess, as well as the faster slot receivers like Santonio Holmes. Arrington could possibly be that guy, especially with Leigh Bodden returning, and even Butler has a chance to emerge. Hey, let's throw in Jonathan Wilhite's name while we're at it. Fact is, Williams is too expensive to take in the draft.
Verdict: I think Williams could eventually find a roster spot, but he doesn't really fit well with the Patriots. He's not a sure tackler, which is an immediate "no" in the bend-don't-break defense. He's too expensive to take and convert to a safety. I just don't see him fitting with the Patriots, but he could have some success in the right defense.