Marcus Williams   S   Utah  

TALENT
ROUND
1

STRENGTHS
Marcus is a secure tackling, play making safety. He has cornerback length and wing span to cover and good speed to play as your single free safety. Marcus can be used as a slot corner to cover those big tight ends and big receivers. He’s a ball hawking safety with wide receiver like hands to intercept the ball and skills to gain yardage after the interception. He is very smart and like I said a secure tackler. He’s always around the ball, making plays and picking up fumbles and is adept at grabbing tip balls out of the air. Marcus will support the run and takes good angles to make secure tackles in the open field. He also will make the smart hit to separate a receiver from the ball but not the type of hit that will get him a penalty. That’s what I like about Marcus, he’s not a head hunter but he is a secure tackler.

CONCERNS
Marcus struggles when the play gets behind him in coverage. He seems to panic and although he has the body type and talent to be excellent as a coverage defensive back he still has work to do in this area. Most of that work will be in reading receivers and confidence in his talents. Nevertheless anything in front of this kid, he reacts like a shark smelling blood in the water. Marcus body type is not the norm for a safety and because of that teams will be reluctant to select him early. Most will think he is more of a cornerback and will think about using him at that position therefore suggesting he will take time to develop. I disagree; mentally he’s a ball hawking, secure tackling safety.

BOTTOM LINE
Marcus has the long speed that allows him to trick a lot of quarterbacks into thinking they can get the ball deep on him without him intercepting it. In college that would be the QB’s big mistake but at the next level he will learn that tricking the QB will not be so easy because of the velocity they throw with. Marcus will get his interceptions and he will get his fumbles and he will be a leader for you on the field and he will make the secure tackle once a receiver or running back breaks the line of scrimmage and that alone is worth a 1st round grade in my book. Marcus can also play for you on special teams on both the return and coverage units. I suspect most teams will over think the process when it comes to Marcus. They will think that as a safety (because of his body type) he will be susceptible to injuries and they will think a move to corner back is more logical. I suspect most teams will work him out at the corner back drills in the combine and list him on their boards depending on how well he does in those drills. The smart teams will look at the film and see what I see, a ball hawking, smart, secure tackling football player who I want on the field ASAP and if safety is the way to get him on field quickly than safety it shall be. Look At Rob’s value board for the likely round Marcus will be selected in but remember if your team selects him in any round they just select a hell of a football player.

Drew Boylhart  FEB.2017