8 cornerbacks Steelers can sign to replace Joe Haden in 2022

Steelers should add Williams

A unique player, Darious Williams had an interesting path to the NFL. In college, he was a hybrid player, serving as a receiver, a running back, a return man, and a cornerback before going undrafted. Ultimately, he stuck at cornerback, and results have been surprisingly good. He has put together two solid years as the Rams starting cornerback opposite of Jalen Ramsey.

Williams is a flexible corner that can play either man or zone well. The Rams run a relatively versatile system that requires their corners to do either. He has proven his worth, usually getting targeted over the aforementioned Ramsey and holding his own to this point. His quarterback rating when being targeted has never been above a 90.8 despite the fact that he is usually the target in coverage.

The biggest drawback to Williams is his size. While the Steelers don’t require their outside cornerbacks to be huge (although recent draft history is favoring that), Williams has the size of a typical slot cornerback. He is only 5’9, extremely short for any defensive back. This makes him a potential mismatch with bigger receivers. His tenacity has paid dividends, but his size would likely keep the Steelers away from him in the offseason.