Badgers who the Green Bay Packers May Draft in 2021

Caesar Williams-CB, Senior(RS)

Caesar Williams arrived on campus in 2016 with cornerback teammates Deron Harrell and Dontye Carriere-Williams; the latter chose to transfer just prior to last season. These three, and others, formed a group of young talented Badgers corners that took their licks during the 2017 season but grew together into one of the most dominant defensive backfields in the Big Ten.

Williams is coming off his first season as a full-time starter but keeping his job among in defensive back group will be difficult. The 2020 season will show us if he’s up to the task, but he showed plenty of talent throughout the 2019 season.

At 6’0″, 190-pounds, Williams has perfect size for the NFL.  He has long arms and enough meat on his body to hold up against the run. However, he doesn’t have great athleticism for the position, which gives him a fairly low ceiling as an NFL prospect.

Williams has a habit of allowing the receiver to come to him, instead of meeting him at the line of scrimmage. This allows him to be pushed off the route, and his make up speed is questionable. Given Williams’ lack of athleticism, he needs to be more energetic with his feet and his hands at the line of scrimmage.

However, Williams understands route progression which makes him fairly sticky compared to other college corners. He looks more comfortable when he’s asked to play off-man. His backpedal is low and loose, and he flips his hips quite well. Williams does have great vision along with awareness and often meets the receiver at the same time as the ball.

Williams’ calling card is his physicality with the ball in the air. He was rarely flagged and consistently maintained position against NFL-caliber wide receivers. He does a great job of turning his head, locating the football, and getting a hand on it.

Williams would benefit from adding five pounds to his frame without losing a step. If he can maintain his play in off-man coverage and increase his physicality in press and against the run, he could hear his name called toward the end of the 2021 NFL Draft. The Green Bay Packers may be interested in his services. Mike Pettine asks his corners to blend press and off-man coverage, with an emphasis on the press.

This is similar to the defense that Jim Leonhard uses in Madison. Williams would step into a role that he’s very familiar with, which gives him a leg up on the competition. Williams may never be a starter in the NFL, but he could provide depth at a position that’s increasing in importance every year. If Caesar Williams makes the necessary improvements, the Green Bay Packers should give him a call on day three of the 2021 NFL Draft.