Joshua Williams is great high-upside gamble for KC Chiefs

After losing cornerbacks Mike Hughes and Charvarius Ward through free agency, it was abundantly clear that the Kansas City Chiefs had to address the cornerback position in the draft, and they did just that. The Chiefs used first and seventh-round picks on Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson, respectively, but they also used their fourth-round selection on long-armed and lanky Division II alumnus Joshua Williams.

Division II cornerbacks aren’t drafted often but Williams proved that you playing FBS or FCS football isn’t necessary to play in the NFL. When the Chiefs selected Williams, they became the first team to use a draft pick on a player from Fayetteville State since the New York Jets picked running back James Godwin in the sixteenth round (yes, 16th) of the 1976 NFL Draft.

What likely attracted the Chiefs to Joshua Williams was his size and length. He has arms as long as the Nile River at 32 7/8″ and is tall for a corner at 6′ 3″. He ranked third in height and fourth in arm length of every cornerback in his draft class. Along with his thin frame, I wouldn’t be shocked if Williams was made in a laboratory specifically for the purpose of playing boundary corner in the NFL. He has all the makings of a bona fide superstar NFL corner.

After using a 4th-round pick on former Division II cornerback Joshua Williams, the Chiefs may have just stumbled upon a great high-risk, high-reward gamble.

In addition to his size and length, Williams excelled in press-man coverage at Fayetteville State, and at times, was great at reading both the play and quarterback (when in zone coverage) which allowed him to undercut throws at a higher success rate. He also has great ball skills both because of his aggressiveness and big frame. He’ll be a nightmare at the catch point for receivers due to the fact that he’s so tall and has crazy long arms for a cornerback.

Two areas that Joshua Williams needs to address are building up his frame as well as his footwork. He’s built like a pencil so adding a bit more muscle will be absolutely critical, in my opinion, especially if he’s asked to play man on receivers like Ja’Marr Chase and Davante Adams. Also, at times, he relied too much on athleticism and was so much superior to his competition in terms of natural ability.

Going from Division II to the NFL will always be an adjustment so I don’t personally project him as a day one starter. He will absolutely benefit from increased reps against NFL talent but he’s too raw, in my opinion, to be an immediate starter when the Chiefs are trying to win a super bowl. Early in his career, it is my belief that he is best served as a backup who gets snaps when the game is out of hand. Going from Division II wide receivers, in which the high majority won’t even get a pro tryout let alone a contract, to NFL talent will be a bit of a culture shock at first. The adjustment in the level of competition is absolutely real for almost every NFL player, no matter the position.

In conclusion, Williams reminds me of a young Charvarius Ward and it could be a little while before he’ll be a reliable starter for the Chiefs. He is a bit of a risk since his level of competition in college is well below average and it is hard to project players who don’t come from FBS, or even FCS, schools. He has all the tools to be a true star in this league but it could be a little bit of a wait. If he develops like the Chiefs hope, then the wait will be very much worth it.

What do you think of Joshua Williams? Do you think he’ll develop into a starting cornerback? Feel free to let me know in the comment section or on Twitter (@StrozinskyLucas).