Syracuse football: CB Garrett Williams selected by Arizona Cardinals in 3rd round

It wasn’t the final season that Syracuse Orange cornerback Garrett Williams wanted, but now he gets the opportunity to pursue his NFL dreams with the Arizona Cardinals. The Cards selected Williams with the 72nd pick in the 3rd round of the 2023 NFL Draft.

Williams was one of the Orange captains in 2022 and he was a big reason why Syracuse got off to a 6-0 start. This play in the opener preserved a two-score lead against Louisville.

Williams added another interception along with a forced fumble and fumble recovery as the Syracuse defense kept the Orange from an upset loss to Virginia. His torn ACL in the Notre Dame game ended his season and was one reason why the Orange struggled down the stretch.

He finished his Syracuse career with 152 tackles, four interceptions, one touchdown (vs Trevor Lawrence) and 21 passes defended.

Pros

Williams seems to play bigger than his listed 5’10 height. He received a lot of praise for his technique and control. Williams doesn’t take a lot of risks and holds up well against the run which is why he’s viewed as a solid pro prospect.

Cons

Has given up some big plays in his career and since he’s not a risk-taker, he didn’t create as many turnovers as other corners. The ACL injury doesn’t seem to be a major hindrance to his availability for camp this summer.

How did we do with our TNIAAM Draft Prediction?:

Kevin: Since this is about ideal spots, playing corner behind the Philadelphia Eagles defensive line is about as good as it can get for a rookie. Garrett’s taken at Pick 62 and is able to slowly work his way in as a nickel/dime corner and eventually assumes a starting role in 2024.

Mike: Garrett needs time to heal properly, and scouts have told him as much, but he should jump into action and be a solid contributor by year two. With Kyler Murray also out indefinitely and the Arizona Cardinals looking at a rebuilding year, Williams heads to the desert at pick 66.

Dom: I second Mike and Kevin here in the sense that Williams will need some time to fully develop and get into proper NFL shape. I would love to see him quietly grow in San Francisco given their string of recent success in building elite defensive cores.

Good luck to Garrett as he furthers his football career with the Cardinals.