Somewhat amazingly, two years AFTER Greedy Williams was drafted by the Cleveland Browns, his OLDER brother is now headed to the NFL. Although Oklahoma State cornerback Rodarius Williams isn’t as lauded as his younger brother, he still showcases enough ability to hear his name called in the 2021 NFL Draft.
Rodarius Williams NFL Draft Player Profile
- Position: Cornerback
- School: Oklahoma State
- Current Year: Senior
- Height: 6’0 1/8″
- Weight: 193 pounds
- Wingspan: 76 1/2″
- Arms: 31″
- Hands: 9 1/2″
Tony Pauline’s Rodarius Williams Scouting Report
Positives: Nice-sized cornerback who flashed skill the past three seasons. Mixes it up with receivers battling throughout the route, stays on the opponent’s hip out of breaks, and effectively times his pass defenses. Reads the receiver’s eyes, gets his head back around to track the pass in the air, and positions himself against opponents to defend the throw. Fights to get off blocks and make plays against the run.
[sv slug=”drizly”]Negatives: Slow reacting to receivers’ moves off the line. Does not play to his 40 time. Deep speed may be a concern. Face guards opponents too often.
Analysis: Williams was a good cornerback at Oklahoma State the past three seasons and had opposing quarterbacks purposely throwing away from him. He possesses the size and tenacity to play at the next level, but he must polish his technique and do a better job making plays with his back to the ball.
Rodarius Williams Player Profile
Oklahoma State cornerback Rodarius Williams began his path to the 2021 NFL Draft as a playmaking cornerback for Calvary Baptist. He was more than just a footballer in high school though. Williams was a true multi-sport athlete, playing baseball and starring as part of the track and field team.
Williams excelled on the football field though. As a junior, he registered 31 tackles while turning 5 interceptions into 2 touchdowns. His playmaking performances caught the eye of colleges around the nation.
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His first offer came from Mississippi State and was followed by the likes of Houston, Arizona State, and Baylor. However, Williams seemed destined for Oklahoma. In April 2015, he visited the Oklahoma Sooners. The following day he took a trip to Stillwater to visit the Oklahoma State Cowboys.
He committed to the Cowboys shortly after and never wavered. Before he could wear the orange and black on Saturdays, however, he had a high school career to finish. In his senior season, Williams’ team-leading 5 pass breakups and 4 interceptions were enough to earn him All-District and All-State honors.
Rodarius Williams’ college football career at Oklahoma State
When Rodarius Williams arrived in Stillwater in 2016, Oklahoma State had already seen cornerbacks taken in the NFL Draft the past two years. The Cowboys haven’t had another one drafted since, however. His attempt to break that drought started with a redshirt season.
Williams made his impact felt in 2017. Starting every game for the Cowboys, he racked up 44 tackles while breaking up 10 passes. His first came against TCU while he had two games with multiple pass breakups. Demonstrating an ability to disrupt the opposition when it mattered most, he broke up a pass in the end zone at a pivotal time against Iowa State.
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His impressive pass breakup numbers tied a freshman record that had previously stood since 1980. Williams followed up in his sophomore season with another 8 pass breakups.
Coming back to haunt Iowa State once more, he secured his first career interception against the Cyclones. He’d go on to snag another interception against Baylor, one of the teams that had tried to secure his services out of high school.
Gaining experience and growing his game at Oklahoma State
The fall after his younger brother had been selected in the NFL Draft, Rodarius Williams continued to grow as a cornerback at Oklahoma State. He set career-high single-game tackle numbers against Oregon State. Against Kansas, he racked up 3 pass breakups — another career-high.
With three seasons of starting experience behind him, Rodarius Williams could have been forgiven for declaring for the 2020 NFL Draft. However, like a number of Oklahoma State players, he opted to come back for another shot. He was a pivotal part of one of the best defenses in the Big 12 conferences this last season and impressed in his senior season, earning an invite to the Reese’s Senior Bowl.
Rodarius Williams’ best fits in the 2021 NFL Draft
Oklahoma State cornerback Rodarius Williams brings a ton of experience to this 2021 NFL Draft class. He has started 48 consecutive games for the Cowboys, which — given the disruption of the last year — is incredible. Not only is he a long cornerback who plays the game with some physicality, he has also demonstrated his ability against the run.
Williams isn’t the most athletic cornerback in the class, and that may limit his impact in the NFL. His best fit would be with a team that operates a man coverage scheme where he can use his length to disrupt the game in 50/50 balls. Therefore, some scheme and need fits for Rodarius Williams in the 2021 NFL Draft include the New England Patriots, Kansas City Chiefs, and Detroit Lions.
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Oliver Hodgkinson is a staff writer for Pro Football Network. You can follow him on Twitter at @ojhodgkinson.