Nohl Williams has gotten a major increase in draft coverage following his All-American 2024 campaign with the Golden Bears. Here is a 2025 NFL Draft Early Scouting Report and film analysis on him.
Overview, Film Analysis, And Early 2025 Scouting Report Of California DB Nohl Williams
Measurables:
- 6’1”
- 200 lbs
Player Background:
Nohl Williams graduated from Pacifica HS in California as a Top-200 cornerback recruit and three-star prospect in the 2020 class. He committed to UNLV and saw significant playing time in his first year with the Rebels. His freshman season saw him starting five of the six games in the COVID-shortened season, making 25 tackles with a pass deflection and interception. He played in 10 games and started eight the following year, picking up 33 tackles with three PBUs and another INT.
His final year with UNLV came in 2022, continuing his upward trend with career-highs in 39 tackles, five PBUs, three picks, and a forced fumble. He transferred to California before the 2023 campaign and has been a solid starter for the Golden Bears since. His first year was another good one, picking off two passes and breaking up six in 13 starts. He took it to a different level in 2024, his last collegiate season. He broke up eight passes, picked off seven, forced a fumble, and took a pick back for a touchdown.
Accolades:
- Honorable Mention All-Mountain West (2022)
- First Team All-ACC (2024)
Strengths/Pros:
Williams’s best ability is to simply flow with plays and stay in control as things develop around him. He recovers well after any early overextension and manages opposing contact by staying in rhythm and sticking onto WRs. He’s a very feisty defensive back overall and is incredibly willing to attack wideouts and make his presence known in coverage. His physicality also comes with a level of discipline, maintaining legal contact when defending the inside.
He slides between vertical assignments smoothly and flashes good match technique in outside leverage, pushing to the sideline and staying on WRs back hip. Williams comfortably changes his momentum on the outside and keeps himself in range on double moves. His lateral movement is most impressive when working outside zones and manning the boundary. His ball skills are solid and he stays competitive through the catch point. He also offers kick/punt returning upside and general special teams experience.
Weaknesses/Cons:
Williams has some legitimate deficiencies as an athlete, with stiffer hips and very bouncy feet. He has issues when asked to rotate multiple times, has to exaggerate some of his turns, and he often doesn’t stay within his base when roving. He gets too jumpy and back onto his heels early in plays. That gets paired with an odd backward drift of his upper body when adjusting to release moves and makes for inefficient outside movement.
He tries to be too safe and keep his distance in early hand-fighting, letting his shoulders get unbalanced and in non-ideal positions. Williams plays too far off from WRs on the outside when he’s without inside safety help, giving up too much space and allowing easy completions. He needs to stick better on early cuts by his assignments in man coverage, often losing leverage too fast against shiftier wideouts. He’s essentially invisible against the run, struggling to disengage and biting wrong when picking between multiple outside options.
Potential Team Fits:
NFL Projection:
Williams’ easiest path to early contribution will come through special teams, with a pre-established comfortability and experience at multiple positions within the unit. He projects as a depth corner who’s shown stretches of starter-level skills. He needs to understand the expectations of certain schemes and flesh out his movement skills but should be a fine option for teams in need of extra bodies in their secondary to play limited snaps.
Prospect Grade:
- Late 5th Round To Early 6th Round
Film Exposures:
- 2024 vs. Miami
- 2024 vs. Stanford
- 2024 vs. Auburn
Main Image: Jerome Miron – USA Today Sports
