James Williams

Titans selected Miami S James Williams with the No. 242 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Most expect Williams to move to linebacker, but the Titans announced him as a safety. After only three seasons at Miami, Williams (6'4/231) declared for the draft with a year of eligibility left in his pocket. He played a traditional safety role for the Hurricanes while earning an 85.4 PFF grade in coverage, but he projects better as a box player at the NFL level. As a safety, some of his most impressive moments were as a run defender, earning a 64.8 PFF grade in the area. The former five-star prep star flows well towards the action and often met the ball carrier with authority, but would benefit by filling with more decisiveness. His 78 tackles in 2023 and “poor” speed profile for a safety mean that a potential switch to nickel linebacker may be where he succeeds in the NFL. While Williams continues to add weight and improve his skill set, a special teams coach will have plenty of fun utilizing him. With a year of development, he could slide in on defense and be a competitor for snaps in nickel packages.