Sam Williams Scouting Report: Sam Williams NFL Draft Profile

 

Defensive End, Ole Miss Rebels, #7

 

Measurements

6′ 4″ / 265 lbs

40 Time: Zach Berry recorded him running a 4.5 in June, 2020.

 

Sam Williams NFL Draft Player Profile

When preparing the Sam Williams scouting report for his NFL Draft profile, the poem “The Road Not Taken” kept creeping into my mind. The line “I took the road less traveled by,” is a line that Sam Williams should consider as a tattoo, if he hasn’t already. His path to the 2022 NFL Draft wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows.

Sam Williams was an unknown commodity playing high school ball at Robert E. Lee in Montgomery, Alabama. He didn’t garner national attention. As a matter of fact, you can’t even find a profile for him coming out of high school at 247 sports or MaxPreps. He would sign to play for Northwest Mississippi Community College. Their team is called the Rangers in case you were wondering.

It was his sophomore season at Northwest Mississippi when he started to really catch the eye of college scouts. How could they miss him? He had 75 tackles, 28.5 tackles for loss, and 17.5 sacks. Schools like Oregon and LSU came calling, but Sam would stay in Mississippi and join Ole Miss.

In his two and a half years at Ole Miss, at the time of writing, he has produced 17.5 sacks and 5 forced fumbles. Williams chose to use his extra year of eligibility to return in 2021. This was probably the correct choice, but it will make him a 23 year old rookie next season in the NFL.

 

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Sam Williams Strengths

 

Run Defense

Sam Williams NFL fit may be as a run defender on the edge. He plays the run well at Ole Miss. The Rebels run a 3 man front on most plays, so Williams is tasked with playing the 3 and 4 technique a lot. He holds his ground and travels the line well against the run.

Prior to the season in an interview, he mentioned a new technique in which he wanted to grab the offensive lineman’s elbow and yank them to the side. I don’t see him do it much when pass rushing, but man does he do it well in the run game. I have seen him absolutely trash the opposing lineman with this move and make a tackle more than once on the film.

Ole Miss DE Sam Williams

Ole Miss DE Sam Williams

Williams can set the edge and keeps his assignment in the run game as well. My one major concern regarding Sam Williams ability to play the run shows up when he plays elite tackles. Evan Neal and Cade Mays were problems for him in this regard. Even though he keeps the edge against them, they turn his hips and allow the back a clear lane between the tackle and guard. Williams wasn’t able to get off their blocks to make plays when the back headed his way. However, in both games Williams was dominant against the teams other tackle.

Versatility Along the Line

I mentioned that Ole Miss runs a 3 man front in the section above. I believe this keeps Williams from being as productive as he could be, but the advantage here is it has allowed him to learn how to play multiple techniques. We all know how versatility is a ticket to play on Sundays. Williams has played well in the 3,4, and 5 techniques and even get a small amount of time at the 2 on slant techniques. I do believe he should play the 4 and 5 in the NFL, as he is only 265 lbs and NFL interior lineman should be able to push him out of the way.

Powerful Hands and Strength

Sam Williams gets into the pads of the lineman with elite power. When he gets off the ball and fires into lineman he is looking to do damage, and I like that. He gets into them and drives them back with his great power. His bull rush is a great tool and one that should be able to translate to the NFL.

He has a pass rush move which his powerful punch allows him to execute well. He extends one hand into the blocker with extreme force, then slaps the blockers hands to the side with ease. Unfortunately, that seems to be his only pass rush move.

Potential Ceiling

Sam Williams should test incredibly well at the 2022 NFL Combine. Some coaches and scouts love the athleticism because they think they can teach football skills. Sam Williams knows football, but he is just in need of some more coaching and refinement. In the interview I mentioned earlier, he said he has only been playing football for the last few years. This leads me to believe he has room for major growth.

Sam Williams Weaknesses

Slow Off the Ball

Ole Miss DE Sam Williams

Ole Miss DE Sam Williams

Even though he runs a reported 4.5 40 time, I don’t see elite speed on the field. People rave about his athleticism and other scouting sites even mention his quick burst. I watched every snap again to make sure I wasn’t crazy. I see maybe 5 plays a game where he has a great get off around the edge.

Heck, on a few of them it looks more like the tackle just got a late start. If he is truly the athletic freak they say he is he will test well at Indianapolis, but he needs to translate that raw athleticism to the NFL. I just don’t see it at this point. Williams needs more development at the next level to become special.

Lacks a Pass Rush Arsenal

If Sam Williams wants his NFL draft status to rise, he needs to show dedication to his pass rushing skills. I don’t see much of an arsenal, really just the bull rush and the one hand technique I mentioned before. The fact he added the elbow grab in the run game is promising though, as he has mastered it. NFL tackles will have no issue combating his pass rush moves unless he adds more.

When his initial plan is thwarted, he is left with nothing. He needs the counter moves to succeed as a pass rusher. Maybe he should call Arron Donald for a class. Watch his game against Alabama and focus on the snaps he is lined up opposite of Evan Neal to see what I mean. I could see him playing a lot on running downs early in his career though.

Potential Character Concerns

With the NFL and the entire world focusing more and more on players both on and off the field, teams will spend ample time vetting Williams. He was arrested in July of 2020 for alleged sexual battery and suspended from the team. He would be reinstated when the charges were dropped. Since then he seems to have kept himself out of trouble, but it is something that will hurt his draft stock with some teams, not the Chiefs though.

Sam Williams NFL Draft Stock

Sam Williams is a player whose physical gifts could translate to a day one pick, if he could refine his game. Unfortunately for him, he is running out of time to do so. The NFL draft is just 6 months away. Sam Williams should be a rotational development type lineman, and I would take him on day 3 of the NFL Draft. Depending on a teams needs and scheme he could go at anytime that day. There is more than a handful of defensive ends I’d prefer, so I wouldn’t draft Williams if any of them were still on the board.

Final Thoughts for Sam Williams NFL Draft Profile

Sam Williams scouting report was one that a few people had recently requested, so when watching the film again I was left wondering what exactly they saw. Yes he has talent, athleticism, and ability, but nothing that says he is a can’t miss prospect. I believe the 2022 NFL Draft class has a great deal of talent at the edge and that is unfortunate for Sam Williams.

With coaching and more development, he does have potential to reach that high ceiling mentioned earlier. If your team drafts him don’t expect fireworks early, but root for the long term.

Sam Williams NFL Draft Player Comp: Preston Smith, Green Bay Packers. Preston Smith produced more pass rush metrics than I think Williams will early in his career, but I think the player he is today is a good comp. Smith is currently the number one rated edge defender against the run according to PFF. He has an 84.4 grade in run defense and only 55.9 as a pass rusher.

Sam Williams Scouting Report/Sam Williams NFL Draft Profile by Ken Noble