By Nolan Nawrocki
Jan. 23, 2008

Vanderbilt OLT Chris Williams

OLT Chris Williams
Vanderbilt senior
Ht: 6-6 1/8; Wt: 320; 40-time: 5.1 (est.)
Arms: 32 7/8 in.; Hands: 9 7/8 in.

Upside: Very naturally athletic mover. Plays with great balance and is rarely on the ground. Shows the ability to recover when he gets out of position. Can slide, mirror and shadow defenders in pass protection. Shows the agility to cut off the wide rush and adjust to sudden, inside counter moves. Shows solid anchor strength to hold his ground and the agility to run pass rushers wide of the pocket. Matched up very favorably with Florida DE Derrick Harvey and showed he could handle edge speed. Good pass sets. Shows spurts of aggressiveness. Very smart. Voted team captain.

Downside: Wish he played with more vinegar. Can be late off the ball and does not look to drive defenders into the ground. Uses too much finesse. Takes some questionable angles. Not a great finisher — too often stops working before the whistle. Does not play with power. Average arm length. Too often carries his hands low and lacks pop in his punch. Gets out to the second level too quickly and will overrun his target. Plays down to the level of competition and needs to be challenged. Not self-motivated.

The way we see it: A much better pass protector than run blocker, Williams has all the athletic ability needed to protect the blind side. He has quick feet, agility and balance and could start 10 years in the league at left tackle. However, he can be frustrating to watch in the run game. Technique (hands, punch, footwork) will need some refinement, but he should be able to step into a starting lineup readily. Stock will ascend as the draft draws nearer and NFL coaches see his raw tools.

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