NFL Draft Diamonds Prospect Interview: Darrell Williams, CB, University of Tulsa

NFL Draft Diamonds and our staff have been bringing our readers Prospect Interviews over the past 2 years and this year we mixed up the questions and added some fun questions for our readers. We have tons of NFL staff that read our interviews, and we actually received several of the questions from NFL scouts we speak too. This gives them a little bit more information regarding your character. We hope to bring you more than 300 interviews of NFL Draft Prospects this season. You will be able to track them all on the front page of our website in the banner.

What is your name?

Darrell Williams Jr.


What is your Height/Weight?

5’10” 195


What is your position?

Cornerback


Where do you play college football?

University of Tulsa


Football is about giving back, what is the coolest thing you have done off the field?


Helping clean out and clean up homes after tornadoes struck Joplin Missouri. Also doing things such as speaking at my former high school, other high schools and to youths in general is something I really enjoy.


What was the hardest college class you ever had to take?


Accounting


Where are you from?


Houston, Texas


Who is your role model, and why?


My mother. Her ambition and drive is something I’ve admired forever. I get a lot of my competitiveness and desire to be great from the way I’ve watched her work and succeed in life.


Did you play any other sports growing up?

Growing up I played baseball, basketball and ran track through High School


Did you play any other positions in football?

I played running back all my life until getting to High School in which I’ve played cornerback ever since. 


At your position, what separates you from others?

My size and physicality matched with my quickness and speed. It’s one thing to big big and strong but to be fast and quick as well has been an advantage for me over the years. 


When you are breaking down film, what do you look for?


I’m watching for WRs tendencies. What does he do when the ball comes his way? What does he do when the play is away from him? Does he take plays off? Does he alter his gloves when the ball is coming his way? Is he physical? Is he a finesse guy? How and where is he stemming and breaking his routes? These are all things I look for when watching film.
 

Who was the toughest player you ever faced?

Paxton Lynch, I had a solid game against him but he puts the ball where only his WR can get to it most of the time.  Great QB. 


If you could compare your play to one player in the NFL who would it be and why?

Orlando Scandrick , Chris Harris but faster. Natural slot corner. Scandrick is closer to me speed wise, Harris because he knows how to work in that tight space and because of his football IQ. My ball IQ is very high.

What was the biggest obstacle in your life you had to overcome, and how did you overcome it?


Complete knee dislocation in 2013. I tore my ACL ,MCL, PCL all at once. Some thought I would be lucky to run again. Playing again and playing at a high level was out of the question to many people. The doubt I saw from people motivated me. I prayed on it daily and worked harder than I’ve ever worked in my life. In my mind nobody in the world works harder after I was able to overcome that and not only play again but play again at a high level. 


Do you have any pre-game rituals?


I do the following in order; pray, listen to music, talk to my younger brothers, pray more, listen to more music, then it’s time to go to war. 


What is your biggest strength?

My biggest strength is my press man and quick read zone coverages. My biggest weakness would probably be the short game pass plays when in a deep 1/3 zone. 

If I were a GM and gave you a second to sell yourself, what would you say?

You can’t teach speed, quickness, tenacity.

Who was your favorite player and/or NFL team growing up?


Tom Brady and New England Patriots. Tom is the Michael Jordan of football in my eyes.


If you could have dinner with three people dead or alive, who would you choose?

Barack Obama, Bill Gates and Vince Lombardi


What will be the first big item you buy once you are in the NFL?

I probably won’t buy anything too big other than my first home.


Rapid Answers:

• Tupac or Biggie?
• NFL Network or ESPN?
• Coke or Pepsi?
• Pizza or Burgers?
• Dogs or Cats?