Green Bay Packers Will Love Versatility of Evan Williams

In the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, the Green Bay Packers selected Oregon safety Evan Williams. He is part of a revamped positional group in the team’s secondary that defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley has to be excited to work with.

One of the best things that Evan Williams will bring to the field for the Packers is his versatility. Last season with the Ducks, he lined up all over the field, as he was deployed as a box safety, playing as the last line of defense in free safety and even lining up as a slot cornerback.

As shared by Packers Central, via PFF, Williams played 290 snaps in the box, 271 as the deep safety and 165 in the slot. In an interview with Packers Central, Oregon co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach Chris Hampton praised his former player.

“I think he can do a lot of different things, I really do,” Hampton said. “He can be a big nickel, be able to cover the slot and support the run. I think that’s what he’s going to be able to do: be a good slot cover guy and also support the box and make tackles. I could see him one day becoming a starter. I don’t know how the roster looks this year, but I think he’ll be an NFL starter.”

With that versatility, Evan Williams can certainly break into the starting lineup at some point for the Green Bay Packers. It will be interesting to see where they have him focus early in his career, as the other safeties on the roster also have a ton of versatility.

Last year with the New York Giants, Xavier McKinney, the team’s free agent splash, lined up all over the field. He played both safety spots, slot cornerback, on the boundary and even lined up as a pass rusher as he didn’t miss a single snap in 2023.

Along with Evan Williams, the Green Bay Packers selected Javon Bullard and Kitan Oladapo. The safety position, which has been a weakness in recent years, now looks like a strength that can become the backbone of this unit for seasons to come.