2024 4th Round Pick #111 Overall Evan Williams -S - Oregon

[Joemailman]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2PGafhfPH4

Overview
Williams was a tad more consistent in 2022 while at Fresno State, but he was also put in better position to succeed. He is broad-hipped with limited agility and athleticism to align too far away from the line of scrimmage. He’s a box safety with a good feel for finding entry points and making tackles near the line. He can match up underneath and is average in zone but will allow too many big plays against NFL wideouts. He has a chance to impress on special teams but inconsistent open-field tackling could hurt his chances of becoming a viable backup strong safety.

Strengths
Plays with the mindset of a linebacker and good stopping power.
Knows where entry points are located as a run defender in the box.
Rushes downhill to make hits on pass catchers.
Does a nice job of closing out crossing routes from high safety.
Rough-and-tumble play demeanor fits special teams mold.

Weaknesses
Frame looks less athletic and more broad and burly.
Will struggle against run and pass when aligned in big space.
Below-average anticipation to the route in man coverage.
Lacks long speed to close the distance over the top.
Missing reactive athleticism to keep missed tackle total from piling up.

[King Friday]

I just don’t see what Gute saw in this guy. He’s a 6th round pick, not a 4th round pick. The worst pick in 2024 for the Packers.

[George Cumby]

I just don’t see what Gute saw in this guy. He’s a 6th round pick, not a 4th round pick. The worst pick in 2024 for the Packers.

Jim Nagy seems to disagree;

https://twitter.com/jimnagy_sb/status/1784275510593204431?s=46

[MadtownPacker]

Hey a (former) Fresno St guy!

I don’t know shit but maybe just maybe he shows something.

[King Friday]

He’ll be a special teams monster, but is that worthy of a 4th round pick that you traded up for?

[Fritz]

Jim Nagy seems to disagree;

https://twitter.com/jimnagy_sb/status/1784275510593204431?s=46

I think Rashang nailed it - Guter’s calculus seems to have changed slightly. I’m reading a lot more “he’s a good football player” comments (which means, in part, “he’s not very athletic”) and a lot fewer “great athlete but lacks football instincts” comments, at least in terms of the second half of this year’s class. Something seems to have changed.

[Jaire]

I think Rashang nailed it - Guter’s calculus seems to have changed slightly. I’m reading a lot more “he’s a good football player” comments (which means, in part, “he’s not very athletic”) and a lot fewer “great athlete but lacks football instincts” comments, at least in terms of the second half of this year’s class. Something seems to have changed.

It's the anti-Savage/HaHa draft. Instead of grabbing one super athlete, they use the same capital to draft three heavy hitter team captains and let them duke it out.

[Joemailman]

I think Rashang nailed it - Guter’s calculus seems to have changed slightly. I’m reading a lot more “he’s a good football player” comments (which means, in part, “he’s not very athletic”) and a lot fewer “great athlete but lacks football instincts” comments, at least in terms of the second half of this year’s class. Something seems to have changed.

One thing people were commenting on was the number of team captains Gute drafted this year. Packers have always wanted character guys, especially in early rounds, but it seemed especially obvious this year.

[Fritz]

You mean, especially Captain Obvious!

This is all a scheme to keep Jaire from declaring himself a team captain this year. Yup. I see that now.

[MadtownPacker]

We have a civil war situation. One Duck and one Beaver at S.

[George Cumby]

We have a civil war situation. One Duck and one Beaver at S.

And both have sacked Caleb Williams. I swear to God, Gutes is trolling the Bears with this fucking draft.

[MadtownPacker]

And both have sacked Caleb Williams. I swear to God, Gutes is trolling the Bears with this fucking draft.
STFU!! That is AWESOME!!!

Yes King Friday, that is worth a 4th rounder!

[Joemailman]

I think Rashang nailed it - Guter’s calculus seems to have changed slightly. I’m reading a lot more “he’s a good football player” comments (which means, in part, “he’s not very athletic”) and a lot fewer “great athlete but lacks football instincts” comments, at least in terms of the second half of this year’s class. Something seems to have changed.

Not as many 9+ RAS guys in this draft. Not sure if that's a change of approach, or just the reality of this draft class.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GMNjOdEWwAAfS8s?format=jpg&name=small

[run pMc]

Not as many 9+ RAS guys in this draft. Not sure if that's a change of approach, or just the reality of this draft class.

Probably more of the latter. I know a few weeks back Andy Herman went thru and broke down the roster by RAS, I think something like 35 of the 53 had a RAS of 8+. They only had like 3 players under a 5 I think, so it's a pretty athletic roster.
I do think the lack of agility scores in a lot of the RAS scores this year might skew them higher but probably not more than 0.5.

I think Williams had 3 straight seasons with a PFF score of 75 or higher, so he's no slouch as a player. The thing that stands out with the LBs and S is they are all pretty aggressive, so I think this is a nod to what Hafley wants to run. Expect a few broken plays or instances of man coverage that turn into big plays, but with the tradeoff of more playmaking and less of a passive Barry-style defense.

[RashanGary]

The average ras of an nfl player is 7.16.

I think if you stay around 8 and above and put a little more emphasis on football savvy and football character, you can have an athletic team as well as being smart and sophisticated.

[Fritz]

Now I picture this guy wearing a top hat and tails and sipping a manhattan.

Smart. Sophisticated.

[RashanGary]

Now I picture this guy wearing a top hat and tails and sipping a manhattan.

Smart. Sophisticated.

I picture him not doing a looking around with a blank expression like Damarious Randall :lol:

[run pMc]

Jim Nagy seems to disagree;

https://twitter.com/jimnagy_sb/status/1784275510593204431?s=46

Yeah I heard about this. He was supposedly good in the Senior Bowl practices.

I liked the way people were talking him up, but I watched him vs OR, ORSt., and USC and... didn't really like him.
I don't think his range is great and he's a little out of control when he comes up to tackle. OR played him everywhere and even blitzed him, so he's got some versatility.
He's better either closer to the LOS or deep in a 2-deep shell (I don't see him as a single high deep safety). He can play the robber role in a Cover 1.

Maybe he can be coached up, but I didn't think he was a high upside guy.
Seems like a pretty fearless, physical, and aggressive player. Is he supposed to be GB's version of Hufanga?

I'm less enthusiastic about him now, but he's about equal to what they had last year, he's got a cheap contract, and he might get better.

One other thing: watching the OR-USC game, and Caleb Williams has some crazy scrambling ability and a good arm, but there's some chaos and mess to his game that needs to be cleaned up. He's not Peyton Manning.

[RashanGary]

Yeah I heard about this. He was supposedly good in the Senior Bowl practices.

I liked the way people were talking him up, but I watched him vs OR, ORSt., and USC and... didn't really like him.
I don't think his range is great and he's a little out of control when he comes up to tackle. OR played him everywhere and even blitzed him, so he's got some versatility.
He's better either closer to the LOS or deep in a 2-deep shell (I don't see him as a single high deep safety). He can play the robber role in a Cover 1.

Maybe he can be coached up, but I didn't think he was a high upside guy.
Seems like a pretty fearless, physical, and aggressive player. Is he supposed to be GB's version of Hufanga?

I'm less enthusiastic about him now, but he's about equal to what they had last year, he's got a cheap contract, and he might get better.

One other thing: watching the OR-USC game, and Caleb Williams has some crazy scrambling ability and a good arm, but there's some chaos and mess to his game that needs to be cleaned up. He's not Peyton Manning.

Jim Nagys job is to gas up the senior bowl players. It doesn’t mean anything. But he could still be good. Never know.

[Fritz]

I picture him not doing a looking around with a blank expression like Damarious Randall :lol:

Or two defensive backs looking at each other and gesturing at each other after an opposing wide receiver is wide open for an easy touchdown while Bob Slowik/Dom Capers/Mike Pettine/Joe Barely stare down at their clipboards, eyebrows furrowed.

[RashanGary]

Or two defensive backs looking at each other and gesturing at each other after an opposing wide receiver is wide open for an easy touchdown while Bob Slowik/Dom Capers/Mike Pettine/Joe Barely stare down at their clipboards, eyebrows furrowed.

It’s wild that we let Hyde and Heyward go. Yeah, just like we have a long history of excellent OL play, ever since Sharper, we have a long history of bad safety play. Maybe they’re adjusting the way they grade these guys. Hopefully.

[RashanGary]

Oh we did have Collins. I take that back. But 3 years of his peak is pretty much all we’ve had of good safety play since Daren Sharper.

[Fritz]

Yeah, just as wide receiver and offensive line have been strengths of the GM's and drafting departments, safeties and defensive linemen have been a weakness.