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'I love being on an island': Hometown Jaguars CB Darious Williams finds success in new role
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- 'I love being on an island': Hometown Jaguars CB Darious Williams finds success in new role
When asked how he felt about moving from inside at nickel back to outside as a boundary corner, Darious Williams perked up, smiled and said simply, "that's my position."
Williams, 5-foot-9, 187 pounds, began his career as an undrafted player out of UAB in 2018. He signed with the Baltimore Ravens before joining the Los Angeles Rams , where he spent the majority of his career, starting 26 games in four years on the team.
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Earlier this year, he signed a three-year deal with Jacksonville and played extensively in all 17 regular-season games.
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When Williams began his career with the Jaguars, the team made him the primary nickel or slot cornerback. He held that role through the first 13 weeks of the season even though he'd rarely played there with the Rams.
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The logic, though, from the Jaguars' side of things, was that the team already had two boundary corners in place — Tyson Campbell and Shaq Griffin. Williams fit inside for the team.
Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback Darious Williams (31) tries to get his hands on a pass to New York Giants wide receiver Wan'Dale Robinson (17) after Robinson tipped the pass and then had a second chance to catch it on the way down for short yardage during early first quarter action. The Jacksonville Jaguars hosted the New York Giants at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville, FL Sunday, October 23, 2022. The Jaguars trailed at the half 11 to 13. [Bob Self/Florida Times-Union]
"When you watch the tape [from when Williams was with the Rams], you see a lot of PBUs [pass breakups], interceptions from him," Jaguars passing game coordinator and cornerbacks coach Deshea Townsend told the Times-Union this week. "You saw his quickness, his ability to transition from the man to the ball, and I think those are the things that you love about his traits."
Williams' ability to process and play with various techniques inside made it an easier transition for him when he first arrived in Jacksonville. The nickel position is almost played like a linebacker, Townsend explained, there's different preparation.
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Understanding run fits while, at the same time, being in tune with the pass is vital. For a boundary corner, 70 percent of the time you're more concerned about the pass. But, Williams was fully capable of fulfilling the nickel duties.
During his time with the Rams, Williams racked up 27 pass breakups and six interceptions. He ranked first on the team with 14 PBUs in 2020, while he was second on the team behind star CB Jalen Ramsey with nine PBUs last season.
Williams' ability to track and locate the football and ability to not take any point-of-attack losses also intrigued Jacksonville. It all lined up for their top three corners to be on the field at the same time, at least in some capacity.
Once Griffin was placed on injured reserve, though, it created a hole opposite Campbell, paving the way for Williams to return to the position that ultimately got him paid in the first place.
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Williams' first game as a boundary corner in Jacksonville came in Week 14 and he's excelled ever since.
'He's balling right now': Williams' move paying dividends
Since making the move to transition Williams from nickel to corner, Williams ranks as the 12th-rated cornerback, according to Pro Football Focus in terms of overall defense.
Williams' coverage grade ranks 14th in the league since Week 14 at 73.3. According to the analytics website, Willimas has given up just five receptions for 41 yards, giving up a 55.5 quarterback rating. He also has had two pass breakups in that span.
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"That's my position. I mean, obviously, that's where I'm making my plays. I just love the feeling of being out on an island," Williams said in the locker room this week.
Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback Darious Williams (31) nearly picks off a pass intended for New York Jets wide receiver Corey Davis (84) in the first half at MetLife Stadium.
Williams ranks first on the team this year with 16 PBUs, exactly what Jacksonville was looking for when they signed him back in March.
When Griffin initially went on the team's reserve/injured list, the Jaguars utilized multiple players outside before ultimately turning to Williams. Ultimately, the team decided, after further evaluation, to put defensive back Tre Herndon in the slot, where he excels, and Williams outside.
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"With Tre [Herndon] being better suited to play nickel and [Williams] to go outside, where his natural position was when he was at the Rams, it just made a better move for us," Townsend explained. "And some of the matchups on the outside you like to see D-Will [Darious Williams] and Tyce [Tyson Campbell] out there on the outside."
Townsend mentioned games against the Dallas Cowboys and New York Jets this season that showcased Williams' prowess on the outside.
According to PFF, Williams was targeted twice against the Cowboys and five times against the Jets. He gave up zero catches.
Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Noah Brown (85) can't haul in a reception as Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback Darious Williams (31) defends during the fourth quarter of a regular season NFL football matchup Sunday, Dec. 18, 2022 at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville. The Jacksonville Jaguars edged the Dallas Cowboys 40-34 in overtime. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]
"Darious has been phenomenal," Campbell said in the locker room this week. "Once I saw him make that change from nickel back to corner, I knew he was back in his normal position. You can tell how comfortable he is out there and he's balling right now. I'm not even surprised."
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'Self-made': A product of Jacksonville, Williams has made his mark
Williams knows the City of Jacksonville rather well.
He was born in Jacksonville and spent his high school career at Creekside. Now, he is playing for the team he grew up watching, ready to make an impact in the playoffs.
Creekside's Darious Williams (2) tries to fight off the tackle attempt of Ponte Vedra's Kenny Byram (34) in a high school football game on October 22, 2010. [Gary McCullough/St. Augustine Record]
"That's gonna be cool," Williams said. "Growing up, coming to these games, but obviously [I] haven't been to too many playoff games [in Jacksonville], so just knowing that my friends and family there, that's gonna be an exciting time."
Last week, Williams got a taste of what Duval can bring to the table as far as their fan support. With 70,050 fans in the stands, the environment as Jacksonville played — what amounted to — a play-in game against the Tennessee Titans was electric.
A fan holds up a sign before the game of an NFL football regular season matchup AFC South division title game Saturday, Jan. 7, 2023 at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville. The Jacksonville Jaguars held off the Tennessee Titans 20-16. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]
"That's the first time I've seen it since I've been here," Williams said of the jam-packed TIAA Bank Field. "I mean, all the fans out there and then you could just feel the environment, intensity."
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Williams' path to the NFL wasn't an easy one. He spent one season at D-III Marietta College in Ohio before enrolling at UAB the following semester.
After being turned down after a tryout he eventually made the team as a walk-on in 2014. After the season ended, UAB dissolved the football program, leaving Williams to head back to Jacksonville, attending the local community college, FSCJ.
Williams was brought back, along with the rest of the football team, when the program was resumed in 2015. But, he'd still have to wait a bit to hit the field.
UAB's football program began its next season in 2017 where Williams excelled, hauling in five interceptions and 15 PBUs. He earned First Team All-American by PFF and First Team All-Conference USA.
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"He's a self-made pro," said Townsend. "When you have to work the way that he did, the opportunities of him going to Baltimore and making a name for himself in L.A. and then getting an opportunity to be one of the top free agents, that lets you know he understands the game, he works at it.
"He had to work for everything that he got."
Though Williams isn't the most vocal player in the Jaguars' locker room, he makes an impact with his work ethic and is vocal when he needs to be, talking ball with the guys all the time, Townsend said.
With Campbell as his running mate, the duo limits explosive plays by the opposing offenses. Campbell is currently ranked as the No. 8 coverage corner in the league, according to PFF.
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Having the two outside allows Jaguars defensive coordinator Mike Caldwell to call plays he sometimes might be worried about calling otherwise.
"Those two guys are capable of playing man-to-man and they embrace it," said Townsend. "That's the big thing that you look for and that's a luxury that we're glad we have when we have two guys like that on the outside."
The next challenge for the duo will be facing off against the Los Angeles Chargers in the team's wild-card game on Saturday at TIAA Bank Field. It'll be another prime-time game for Jacksonville, and the expectation is to once again see a sell-out crowd. Williams would certainly like to see it.
"We need that energy," he said. "That's real good energy."
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Demetrius Harvey is the Jacksonville Jaguars reporter for the Florida Times-Union. You can follow him on Twitter at @Demetrius82 .
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jaguars CB Darious Williams finds success on the boundary in home town
