Saints 2019 Year in Review: Marcus Williams

Its been a bit of a roller-coaster ride for the safety drafted in the second round of the 2017 NFL Draft out of the University of Utah. Winning the starting role at free safety his rookie year, Williams seemed poised to be considered another steal in the historic 2017 draft. Then he missed the tackle. You know which one I’m talking about.

Fast forward to 2019 Williams has become a cornerstone of this defense at the deep safety position. His athleticism and range allow him to play centerfield in Dennis Allen’s defense where he has been able to snag ten interceptions over his three-year career.

While his presence on the back-end of the secondary has prevented many big plays, the nature of his position amplifies any missed tackle he may have.

One play in particular from this season that stands out was the 75 yard touchdown pass Emmanuel Sanders scored in the game against the San Francisco 49ers.

The 49ers call a yankee concept off of play action. Williams will recognize it and initially be in good position to make a play on the ball, but loses his footing allowing the receiver to make the reception as he falls backwards.

These are the types of plays that tend to stick out due to the negative outcome. Its the plays where Williams takes out the deep route and forces the quarterback to go elsewhere or take a sack that go unnoticed but plays a big part of the defense’s success.

The numbers:

Approximate Value: 5

Pro Football Focus Rank: 3 out of 85

Overall Grade: 88.9

Coverage Grade: 89.7

Run Grade: 82.1