SI All-American Candidate Demarko Williams Highlights and Evaluation
Prospect: Demarko Williams
Status: SI All-American Candidate
Vitals: 5-foot-10, 165 pounds
Position: Defensive Back
School: Atlanta (Ga.) Westlake
Committed to: Ole Miss
Projected Position: Cornerback
Frame: Relatively long with lean-muscle definition in upper and lower half. Can stand to add mass throughout frame, particularly in trunk.
Athleticism: Lines up at safety and cornerback on tape with effectiveness at each spot. Runs with good lean. Can come off the hash with a purpose and gain ground planting off inside foot. Plays high at times but transitions with great lean and power relative to size. Runs well enough to compete.
Instincts: Comfortable breaking on the football at 90 degrees or downhill, with above-average quickness and closing speed. Willing tackler with some short-area explosion. Tracks the ball well and can flip the field on occasion. Solid striking ability in space despite size.
Polish: There’s a patience about his game in the secondary that lines up with his given responsibility. He shows cerebral flashes, especially when lined up at safety, indicating when to push his pedal, adjust alignment, etc. Comfortable playing closer to the box with plus movement skill from wide, lateral zone stance.
Bottom Line: Williams is a versatile defensive back with skills that can affect multiple positions. He is quite comfortable with relative freedom near the box, which combines well with his strong lateral ability and physical nature for the position – making him an ideal nickel or slot corner candidate at a high level. Once he fills out and polishes up leverage principles in man coverage, expect an impact on Saturdays.