From now until the 2026 NFL Draft, we will scout and create profiles for as many prospects as possible, examining their strengths, weaknesses, and what they can bring to an NFL franchise. These players could be potential top-10 picks, all the way to Day 3 selections, and priority undrafted free agents. Today, a scouting report on Incarnate Word LB Declan Williams.
No. 0 Declan Williams/LB Incarnate Word 6005/236 (Fourth-year Senior)
Measurements
Player Ht/Wt Hand Size Arm Length Wingspan
Declan Williams 6005/236 9 1/2″ 30 7’8″ N/A
40-Yard Dash 10-Yard Dash Short Shuttle 3-Cone
4.68 1.58 4.32 7.13
Broad Jump Vertical Bench Press
9’9″ 34.5″ N/A
The Good
– Stout, muscular frame that can absorb contact from bigger opponents
– Excellent linear burst
– Rapid downhill trigger with physical intent
– Processes blocking schemes and run direction quickly
– Capable of squarely taking on blockers despite his size
– Utilizes two-handed jabs to shock linemen rather than dance around them
– Refined tackler who explodes through the ball carrier’s hips
– Gets physical with receivers when attempting to re-route
– Effective as a blitzer
– Good conversion of speed-to-power
– Times his downhill triggers efficiently
The Bad
– Undersized stature for a second-level defender
– Limited lateral agility and twitch
– Less than ideal hip flexibility
– Shows heavy feet at the top of his drops, which can delay his pursuit angles
– Prone to minor false steps and wasted movements
– Often limited to a shallow zone-dropping role
– Stares down the quarterback without a sense of routes developing around him
– Susceptible to eye manipulation
– Struggles to recover if he fails to get his hand on his matchup in coverage
– Lack of raw athleticism hurts his efforts in man coverage
Stats
– 2025 Stats: 109 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, 4 sacks, 1 interception, 28 pressures, 14 missed tackles, 12 games played
– Career Stats: 222 tackles, 27 tackles for loss, 8 sacks, 1 interception, 64 pressures, 31 missed tackles, 47 games played
– IW Career Stats: 171 tackles, 23 tackles for loss, 7 sacks, 49 pressures, 26 missed tackles, 26 games played
– Rhode Island Career Stats: 51 tackles, 4 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 15 pressures, 5 missed tackles, 21 games played
– 14.8 missed tackle percentage (Career at IW)
– 51 stops against the run (2025)
– 77 completion percentage against (2025)
– Allowed 7.4 yards per reception (2025)
– 92.4 run defense grade per PFF (2025)
– 60.4 pass coverage grade per PFF (2025)
Injury History
– No known injury history
Background
– Began his career at Rhode Island before transferring to Incarnate Word for his final two seasons
– Unranked recruit out of Paul VI High School despite earning first-team All-South Jersey and first-team All-Conference honors as a linebacker
– Dominant two-way player who also starred at RB, earning second-team All-Conference
– Three-year team captain who helped clinch his school’s first playoff berth since 2007 (2021)
– Recorded 142 tackles and 2 interceptions as a senior while rushing for 1947 yards and 18 yards at RB
– In one game, he rushed for 250 yards and 4 touchdowns while recording 14 tackles on defense
– Dual-sport athlete who was a two-year captain for the baseball team
– Batted .388 during his junior season
– Son of former MLB All-Star relief pitcher Mitch Williams
– Earned first-team All-Southland Conference (2024)
– Passionate advocate for Autism research in support due to family connections
– Grew up on a ranch in Texas and New Jersey
– Lifelong Eagles fan
– Described as a “first in, last out” player
Tape Breakdown
After excelling at both linebacker and running back in high school, Williams fully committed to playing defense when he chose Rhode Island. There, he honed his skills before blossoming at Incarnate Word. One thing has carried over from his days on offense: he’s very athletic for his size and processes what he sees at a high level.
Williams’ best attribute is his ability to stop the run. His offensive background speeds up his ability to diagnose blocking schemes and identify pulling guards on counter and power concepts. Once he discerns the direction of the ball, he triggers downhill instantly.
When he reaches the point of attack, he impacts with blunt force. Despite being undersized for an inside linebacker, he takes on blockers squarely and holds his own without giving up much ground. Instead of avoiding blockers, which could compromise his gap integrity, he stacks and sheds as they engage.
His pass-rush ability is underappreciated, both from the edge and as a blitzer. Due to his size, he’s unlikely to be used heavily on the edge in the NFL, but Incarnate Word aligned him there occasionally.
His pass-rush arsenal is still relatively limited. He doesn’t have refined hand counters, cross-chops, or other sophisticated moves to consistently win one-on-one. What he does have, though, is an underrated speed-to-power conversion. His smaller stature gives him a naturally low center of gravity, aided by a quick burst out of his stance.
Against FCS interior linemen, his bull rush alone often made him a factor. But he’ll need to develop more polish to rush the passer consistently at the next level.
From a stand-up alignment, he times his blitzes extremely well. He doesn’t just fire off the ball and chase the quarterback aimlessly. Instead, he stays patient, reads the protection, and waits for the right window to open before attacking.
If run defense and pass rushing are his strengths, his clear weakness is pass coverage. When he’s asked to drop into hook/curl or middle-read zones, Williams locks his eyes on the quarterback.
His peripheral vision in coverage appears limited, which leaves him vulnerable to manipulation as routes develop behind and around him. Savvy NFL quarterbacks will move him with their eyes, displacing him from his spot and opening voids for in-breakers and middle crossers.
Although he was a good athlete relative to his competition, his long speed won’t consistently mirror dynamic route-runners out of the backfield or carry vertical threats up the seam. His footwork can be heavy, which delays his ability to flip, plant, and transition.
His coverage play style is highly reactive. Rather than anticipating the quarterback’s intent and cutting off throwing lanes, he often responds only after the ball is released. He focuses more on limiting yards after the catch rather than preventing the completion.
The play below illustrates the primary concern with his coverage. The result is an interception, but his eyes never leave the quarterback. He benefits from the quarterback locking onto his target, effectively guiding Williams to the catch point, rather than Williams independently keying and anticipating the route.
Conclusion
After fully committing to the defensive side of the ball, Williams developed into a highly productive linebacker. He’s a good, though not special, athlete with a clear nose for the ball in the run game.
His run-diagnosis skills at the FCS level were top-notch. He keys blocking schemes quickly, anticipates where the ball is going, and triggers downhill fast enough to beat both linemen and ball carriers to the spot. His run defense will likely be his calling card at the next level.
His college tape also shows some versatility as an edge player. While his size will likely cap how often he’ll play there in the NFL, he’s shown he can rush the passer with urgency and create pressure when asked.
The steepest part of his learning curve will be in coverage. His eye discipline is the primary issue. He locks onto quarterbacks and can be easily manipulated. This will make him a liability against NFL passers until it’s corrected.
A high-end comparison for Williams, if he can clean up his flaws, is Alex Singleton. Like Williams, Singleton came into the league from an FCS background at Montana State, and their frames are similar, with Singleton being slightly bigger. Neither wins with high-end speed, but both show the instincts and toughness to consistently find the football. Williams must improve to match Singleton. Early impact on special teams may secure his roster spot while he develops defensively.
NFL Draft Projection: Late Day Three – UDFA
Steelers Depot Draft Grade: 6.6 (Pure Backup)
Grade Range: 6.1 – 7.0
Games Watched: @ Southern Illinois (2024), vs. Nicholls (2024), @ SE Louisiana (2024), vs. Villanova (2024), vs. Eastern Washington (2025), @ UTSA (2025), vs. Abilene Christian (2025)
Recommended for you