With Greedy Williams standing at the podium during his NFL Combine press conference in March, a reporter immediately put the All-American from LSU on the spot, asking him if he thought he was the best cornerback prospect in the 2019 NFL draft.
Williams response brimmed with confidence.
"No doubt, film don't lie," Williams said. "I am the best."
After arriving at LSU as a four-star prospect in 2016, Williams redshirted his freshman year before becoming a two-time first-team All-SEC honoree. In 2018, the Associated Press named Williams as a first-team All-American, and he also was a finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award, given annually to the nation's best cornerback. Following an illustrious three-year career, he forwent his final year of college eligibility and declared for the 2019 NFL Draft, bringing that spunk along with him.
"They're going to get a guy who works hard, a guy dedicated to winning, definitely puts the team first," Williams said about what he can provide for his future franchise. "And get a man who knows his responsibility, who wants to come in and have a big impact on the team."
According to Brad Kelly of The Draft Network, Williams "has intriguing tools for the NFL level. With a combination of man and zone coverage ability as well as plus ball skills, he has all the necessary tools to be a versatile coverage cornerback in the NFL. His tackling and run support needs to improve, as he could become a liability for whichever defense drafts him. Williams could stand to gain some strength to round out his frame, but his length, size and athleticism gives him a high ceiling. He will be a candidate to be one of the first cornerbacks off of the board during the NFL draft."
Like Kelly, many analysts project Williams will be drafted in the first round, with some people believing he will go 15th to the Redskins.
Williams has developed into a top-tier defensive prospect in part due to all the time he spent studying film with LSU cornerbacks coach Corey Raymond, who Williams said has been instrumental in his collegiate growth.
"[Raymond] knows how to break down film, how to critique a player very well and helped me out a lot during my LSU career," Williams said. "Definitely a legend. He played at LSU so he knows the ins and outs of the game."
Take a look at photos from Sunday March 4, 2019 at the 2019 NFL Scouting Combine. Photos from NFL.
South Carolina defensive back Rashad Fenton runs the 40-yard dash during the 2019 Scouting Combine,Monday, Mar. 4, 2019 in Indianapolis. (Perry Knotts/NFL)
Central Michigan defensive back Xavier Crawford runs the 40-yard dash during the 2019 Scouting Combine,Monday, Mar. 4, 2019 in Indianapolis. (Perry Knotts/NFL)
Penn State defensive back Amani Oruwariye runs a drill during the 2019 Scouting Combine, Monday, Mar. 4, 2019 in Indianapolis. (Hiro Ueno/NFL)
Washburn defensive back Corey Ballentine runs the 40-yard dash during the 2019 Scouting Combine,Monday, Mar. 4, 2019 in Indianapolis. (Perry Knotts/NFL)
USC defensive back Iman Marshall runs a drill during the 2019 Scouting Combine,Monday, Mar. 4, 2019 in Indianapolis. (Perry Knotts/NFL)
Notre Dame defensive back Julian Love runs the 40-yard dash during the 2019 Scouting Combine,Monday, Mar. 4, 2019 in Indianapolis. (Perry Knotts/NFL)
Georgia defensive back Deandre Baker warms up during the 2019 Scouting Combine,Monday, Mar. 4, 2019 in Indianapolis. (Logan Bowles/NFL)
Kentucky defensive back Lonnie Johnson Jr. runs the 40-yard dash during the 2019 Scouting Combine,Monday, Mar. 4, 2019 in Indianapolis. (Logan Bowles/NFL)
Georgia defensive back Deandre Baker warms up during the 2019 Scouting Combine,Monday, Mar. 4, 2019 in Indianapolis. (Logan Bowles/NFL)
Washington defensive back Jordan Miller runs a drill during the 2019 Scouting Combine,Monday, Mar. 4, 2019 in Indianapolis. (Perry Knotts/NFL)
USC defensive back Iman Marshall runs the 40-yard dash during the 2019 Scouting Combine,Monday, Mar. 4, 2019 in Indianapolis. (Logan Bowles/NFL)
Arkansas defensive back Ryan Pulley runs a drill during the 2019 Scouting Combine,Monday, Mar. 4, 2019 in Indianapolis. (Perry Knotts/NFL)
Washington defensive back Jordan Miller runs a drill during the 2019 Scouting Combine, Monday, Mar. 4, 2019 in Indianapolis. (Hiro Ueno/NFL)
Arkansas defensive back Ryan Pulley warms up during the 2019 Scouting Combine,Monday, Mar. 4, 2019 in Indianapolis. (Perry Knotts/NFL)
Temple defensive back Rock Ya-Sin runs the 40-yard dash during the 2019 Scouting Combine, Monday, Mar. 4, 2019 in Indianapolis. (Hiro Ueno/NFL)
LSU defensive back Greedy Williams runs a drill during the 2019 Scouting Combine,Monday, Mar. 4, 2019 in Indianapolis. (Perry Knotts/NFL)
LSU defensive back Greedy Williams runs the 40-yard dash during the 2019 Scouting Combine,Monday, Mar. 4, 2019 in Indianapolis. (Logan Bowles/NFL)
Mississippi defensive back Ken Webster runs a drill during the 2019 Scouting Combine, Monday, Mar. 4, 2019 in Indianapolis. (Hiro Ueno/NFL)
Temple defensive back Rock Ya-Sin runs a drill during the 2019 Scouting Combine,Monday, Mar. 4, 2019 in Indianapolis. (Perry Knotts/NFL)
Temple defensive back Rock Ya-Sin runs a drill during the 2019 Scouting Combine,Monday, Mar. 4, 2019 in Indianapolis. (Perry Knotts/NFL)
Vanderbilt defensive back Joejuan Williams runs a drill during the 2019 Scouting Combine, Monday, Mar. 4, 2019 in Indianapolis. (Hiro Ueno/NFL)
Williams admits one of his biggest weaknesses is tackling, something he emphasized leading up to the NFL Combine and his Pro Day. On the contrary, he's bullish about his ability in man coverage and especially in press coverage, when he can use his physicality and quickness to disrupt receivers at the line of scrimmage.
With LSU's rich history of producing NFL players, Williams will be able to reach out to many former Tigers for advice. He said he also plans to work out with LSU alumnus Patrick Peterson, now an All-Pro cornerback with the Arizona Cardinals.
There also might be a small rivalry brewing between Williams and former LSU cornerbacks Tre'Davious White of the Buffalo Bills and Morris Claiborne of the New York Jets. All three players are from Shreveport, La., and Williams is out to prove he's the best of the trio.
"I've got to go to the league and prove that, but those guys ahead of me kind of led the way for me," Williams said. "I kind of learned from them, so now those two guys are on top of me right now.''
