Report: Broncos will have a top-30 pre-draft visit with Syracuse defensive back Garrett Williams

According to 9NEWS Denver’s Mike Klis, the Denver Broncos are bringing in Syracuse defensive back Garrett Williams in for a top-30 pre-draft visit. The talented defensive back is coming off an ACL injury but will travel to Denver to meet with the team ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft.

First, a reminder or refresher on what exactly a top 30 visit is. Basically, each NFL team in the days and weeks before the start of the NFL draft is allowed to invite up to 30 different prospects to come in for what amounts to a job interview. From there, they will work them out, show them the facility, meet with coaches, and basically have a job interview. It is just another step in the long scouting process leading up to the NFL Draft.

Williams is a 5’10”, 192-pound cornerback who may need to shift to safety in the NFL. He is coming off an ACL injury so he has not participated at the Combine or at a Pro Day. The injury happened in October so there is a chance he will miss a majority of the offseason and training camp if drafted.

Here is what The Athletic’s Dane Brugler had to say about Williams in his annual draft guide which you can view here.

A three-year starter at Syracuse, Williams was the left cornerback in former defensive coordinator Tony White’s 3-3-5 base scheme with mixed coverages. He put his name on the NFL radar as a redshirt freshman and was on pace for his third-straight season with double-digit passes defended in 2022 before his torn ACL. Williams is an athletic and hyperaware player who can return his eyes to the quarterback without losing track of his coverage. He is undersized by NFL standards, and that will show against big-framed targets and blockers on the outside. Overall, Williams doesn’t have ideal size or strength and the durability of his left knee is an unknown variable, but he has the athletic traits and instinctive capabilities to handle himself well on an island. He has down-the-road starting potential as an NFL perimeter corner.

With Williams still rehabbing from an injury, it is unlikely that he will be working out for the Broncos. However, a medical checkup on his knee is what most likely is happening here. The team is in the process of finalizing its board and wants to meet with a prospect they likely have some level of interest in but have a medical red flag on him.

If healthy, Williams likely would have been a day-two selection, but with him rehabbing an ACL injury, it is likely he falls into day three of the draft. So, a team could get a potential steal/value pick here if he is recovering from his injury without any issues.

The Broncos could use some depth at cornerback and/or safety. Projections of where Williams plays at the next level vary, but he has the ability to help the Broncos at either position. Boundary corner is where I see him ending up, but some like Klis believe he ends up at safety.