The New England Patriots selected Vanderbilt cornerback Joejuan Williams with the 45th overall pick.
Williams, a Nashville native, is an incredibly lengthy press-man cornerback at six-foot-four and 211 pounds. He plays with a physical edge when jamming receivers at the line of scrimmage. Aggressive in contested catch situations, he has the physicality to battle through 50/50 balls.
Though not a stellar athlete, he has solid speed for a player as big as he is. He should work on being less handsy in the pros, as he can be prone to grabbing wide outs too often.
New England has Jason McCourty and Stephon Gilmore at cornerback, but Williams is a player who can start down the line. A high-upside pick with rare size for the position, he can step in as a starter in the future and excel with some development.
