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Draftanomics
Prospect dossier

PJ Williams

OT · SMU · 2027 NFL Draft class

Public Draft Board rank #74·11 contributing sources·Board as of August 31, 2026
Draftanomics scouting
Preseason edition · August 23, 20264 min read

Master scouting report

Williams is an experienced, technically steady right tackle whose length and balance give him a credible path to an NFL starting job. He lacks elite recovery quickness and carries an older prospect profile, but three seasons of dependable work at SMU reduce the uncertainty.

By Draftanomics · Sources & edition · Print report

01Career And Experience

Williams began at Texas A&M before rebuilding his career at SMU, where he moved from four starts in 2023 to full-time work over the next two seasons. He was a team captain and earned second-team All-ACC honors as a redshirt junior.

02Pass Sets

His pass protection is built on a controlled set, useful length and patience at the junction point. Williams does not panic when the rusher threatens his outside shoulder, and he can stay square long enough to force a wider path. Speed becomes more dangerous when his first two steps gain too little depth.

03Anchor And Power

Williams can absorb a bull rush when his hands land inside and his hips remain under him.

04Hands And Recovery

His punch is accurate enough to guide rushers past the quarterback and he understands how to re-fit after first contact. The recovery is technically aware but not sudden, so the rep can become stressed even when he avoids a sack. A quicker independent strike would help him disrupt counters before they reach his inside shoulder.

05Run Blocking

Williams creates movement through positioning, grip and sustained leg drive rather than overwhelming explosion. He can seal the edge on zone runs and generate enough displacement on down blocks to keep the lane clean. His balance across run and pass assignments makes him dependable, though he is not a frequent highlight finisher.

06Movement And Space

He moves well enough for a mixed run scheme and can reach the second level on a direct track. Sharp redirects are less comfortable, and he can arrive too upright against a moving linebacker. Keeping his stride compact would improve his ability to connect without leaning beyond his base.

07Position Versatility

Williams has substantial work at right tackle and also started on the left side during his SMU career. The experience supports swing-tackle value even if the right side remains his best NFL home. His frame and skill set could handle guard in an emergency, but moving inside would reduce the value of his pass-set experience.

08Discipline And Leadership

SMU selected Williams as a captain, and his path from an unsuccessful start at Texas A&M to all-conference work shows sustained development.

09Competition And Durability

Williams has faced ACC edge talent and held up through consecutive high-volume starting seasons. The broad record is more valuable than any single matchup, but his most difficult reps still come against length and elite corner speed.

10Nfl Role

Williams fits as a starting right tackle in a balanced offense that mixes zone and gap runs. His experience, length and steady protection can help him compete early, while swing-tackle flexibility improves his game-day value. He is more likely to become a reliable starter than an elite blindside protector.

The case for the player

Strengths

  • A controlled pass set and useful length keep most rushers from winning cleanly.

  • He has starting experience at both tackle spots.

  • His run and pass work are balanced enough for a full-time role.

  • SMU named him a captain and he earned second-team All-ACC recognition in 2025.

  • He can re-fit his hands and survive stressed reps without frequent sacks.

The questions that remain

Concerns

  • Elite speed rushers can stress his set before he establishes contact.

  • His recovery quickness is adequate rather than sudden after losing first position.

  • Long defenders can enter his chest when his punch is late.

  • He is a steady positional blocker rather than a dominant finisher in the run game.

Building the fit

NFL role and scheme fit

Williams belongs at right tackle in a balanced offense that uses inside zone, duo, counter and moderate doses of outside zone. Play action and firm launch points suit his ability to maintain the pocket without demanding constant vertical recovery. He can dress as a swing tackle because of his left-side experience. Teams that leave tackles isolated against wide speed on every long-yardage snap may expose the weakest part of his game.

The Draftanomics view

Bottom line

Williams has a long, balanced college record, but the grades span early-round upside to WalterFootball's third-to-fifth-round range. A 2022 suspension and marijuana arrest remain part of his history; three subsequent SMU seasons and a captaincy are the clearest evidence of his current responsibility. He is a Day 3 tackle with a chance to play into Day 2.

Sources & edition

The Draftanomics assessment, synthesized from attributed reporting. Role and development language expresses scouting opinion.

Original analysis through August 23, 2026. Restoration reviewed September 6, 2026; this is not an in-season update. No new Draftanomics all-22 review is included.

10 original sentences are omitted pending further evidence or source-use review. The remaining wording is preserved. Source links support the assessment; they do not represent independent votes or permission to reproduce an article.

View the 7 referenced sources
  • PJ Williams - Football - SMU AthleticsSMU Athletics

    Texas A&M in 2022; four left-tackle starts in 2023; 14 starts, including 11 at right tackle, in 2024; captaincy and second-team All-ACC honors in 2025. The biography gives conflicting 2025 start totals of 12 and 13. The 2026 season is his fifth college season, not his sixth.

  • PJ Williams — scouting reportIan Cummings

    Quick feet, explosive movement, torque, power, knee bend and leverage. The evaluation also identifies overextension, poor set angles and an inconsistent anchor. Its incorrect 2024 position split, unverified 31-start total and derived scores and rates are excluded.

  • PJ Williams — 2024-film technical evaluationSam Teets · May 14, 2025

    Smooth kick timing/depth, redirect while latched, inside-hand lane creation, leg drive and second-level movement. Short/flat sets, wide hands/chest access, late anchor, fading footspeed at arc and overrun/overextension. Distinguish prior-season development from later study; no private film claim.

  • PJ Williams — summer scoutingAndrew Harbaugh · May 7, 2026

    Handles varied pass-rush moves, physical matchup work, strong-base anchor, leverage/grip and hand fighting, second-level/pull range and run power. All charted sacks/penalties/pressures excluded.

  • PJ Williams — offensive-tackle evaluationDaniel Rios · June 22, 2026

    Good punch timing/upper-body contact and space range; agility/flexibility development and leaning in run game. More conservative athletic view than PFN; source rank and other players traits excluded.

  • PJ Williams — preseason tackle evaluationCharlie Campbell · June 24, 2026

    Steady blocker with LT/RT starting experience, swing depth to larger role and third-to-fifth-round editorial range; timed-speed projection and source board position excluded.

  • PJ Williams — dated2022 reportGriffin McVeigh · November 22, 2022

    Contemporary reporting establishes an arrest and suspension in 2022. It does not establish a conviction or current misconduct.

Read statement references

Every passage remains linked to its supporting sources. Open a section to inspect the assessment and its evidence.

Sources for the evaluation
  1. House assessment

    Williams is an experienced, technically steady right tackle whose length and balance give him a credible path to an NFL starting job.

  2. House assessment

    He lacks elite recovery quickness and carries an older prospect profile, but three seasons of dependable work at SMU reduce the uncertainty.

Sources for career and experience
  1. Reported fact

    Williams began at Texas A&M before rebuilding his career at SMU, where he moved from four starts in 2023 to full-time work over the next two seasons.

  2. Reported fact

    He was a team captain and earned second-team All-ACC honors as a redshirt junior.

Sources for pass sets
  1. House assessment

    His pass protection is built on a controlled set, useful length and patience at the junction point.

  2. House assessment

    Williams does not panic when the rusher threatens his outside shoulder, and he can stay square long enough to force a wider path.

  3. House assessment

    Speed becomes more dangerous when his first two steps gain too little depth.

Sources for anchor and power
  1. House assessment

    Williams can absorb a bull rush when his hands land inside and his hips remain under him.

Sources for hands and recovery
  1. House assessment

    His punch is accurate enough to guide rushers past the quarterback and he understands how to re-fit after first contact.

  2. House assessment

    The recovery is technically aware but not sudden, so the rep can become stressed even when he avoids a sack.

  3. House assessment

    A quicker independent strike would help him disrupt counters before they reach his inside shoulder.

Sources for run blocking
  1. House assessment

    Williams creates movement through positioning, grip and sustained leg drive rather than overwhelming explosion.

  2. House assessment

    He can seal the edge on zone runs and generate enough displacement on down blocks to keep the lane clean.

  3. House assessment

    His balance across run and pass assignments makes him dependable, though he is not a frequent highlight finisher.

Sources for movement and space
  1. House assessment

    He moves well enough for a mixed run scheme and can reach the second level on a direct track.

  2. House assessment

    Sharp redirects are less comfortable, and he can arrive too upright against a moving linebacker.

  3. House assessment

    Keeping his stride compact would improve his ability to connect without leaning beyond his base.

Sources for position versatility
  1. Reported fact

    Williams has substantial work at right tackle and also started on the left side during his SMU career.

  2. House assessment

    The experience supports swing-tackle value even if the right side remains his best NFL home.

  3. House assessment

    His frame and skill set could handle guard in an emergency, but moving inside would reduce the value of his pass-set experience.

Sources for discipline and leadership
  1. House assessment

    SMU selected Williams as a captain, and his path from an unsuccessful start at Texas A&M to all-conference work shows sustained development.

Sources for competition and durability
  1. House assessment

    Williams has faced ACC edge talent and held up through consecutive high-volume starting seasons.

  2. House assessment

    The broad record is more valuable than any single matchup, but his most difficult reps still come against length and elite corner speed.

Sources for nfl role
  1. House assessment

    Williams fits as a starting right tackle in a balanced offense that mixes zone and gap runs.

  2. House assessment

    His experience, length and steady protection can help him compete early, while swing-tackle flexibility improves his game-day value.

  3. House assessment

    He is more likely to become a reliable starter than an elite blindside protector.

Sources for strength
  1. House assessment

    A controlled pass set and useful length keep most rushers from winning cleanly.

Sources for strength
  1. Reported fact

    He has starting experience at both tackle spots.

Sources for strength
  1. House assessment

    His run and pass work are balanced enough for a full-time role.

Sources for strength
  1. Reported fact

    SMU named him a captain and he earned second-team All-ACC recognition in 2025.

Sources for strength
  1. House assessment

    He can re-fit his hands and survive stressed reps without frequent sacks.

Sources for concern
  1. House assessment

    Elite speed rushers can stress his set before he establishes contact.

Sources for concern
  1. House assessment

    His recovery quickness is adequate rather than sudden after losing first position.

Sources for concern
  1. House assessment

    Long defenders can enter his chest when his punch is late.

Sources for concern
  1. House assessment

    He is a steady positional blocker rather than a dominant finisher in the run game.

Sources for nfl role and scheme fit
  1. House assessment

    Williams belongs at right tackle in a balanced offense that uses inside zone, duo, counter and moderate doses of outside zone.

  2. House assessment

    Play action and firm launch points suit his ability to maintain the pocket without demanding constant vertical recovery.

  3. House assessment

    He can dress as a swing tackle because of his left-side experience.

  4. House assessment

    Teams that leave tackles isolated against wide speed on every long-yardage snap may expose the weakest part of his game.

Sources for bottom line
  1. House assessment

    Williams has a long, balanced college record, but the grades span early-round upside to WalterFootball's third-to-fifth-round range.

  2. House assessment

    A 2022 suspension and marijuana arrest remain part of his history; three subsequent SMU seasons and a captaincy are the clearest evidence of his current responsibility.

  3. House assessment

    He is a Day 3 tackle with a chance to play into Day 2.

College record & draft context

College production, measurables, experience, and the prospect's place on the sealed Public Draft Board.

Public Draft Board

Public Draft Board rank
#74
Position rank
OT6
Contributing sources
11
Movement since prior snapshot
Down 27

Sealed snapshot as of August 31, 2026 · equal-weight aggregation of public boards, minimum 3 sources for a rank · The Public Draft Board

College production

No position-appropriate production category is included in this dataset for OT; no statistics are shown for this position.

Evidence notes

  • No position-appropriate production category is included in this dataset, so no college statistics are shown.
  • The newest college season in the retained data is 2025; the 2026 season is not yet included.
  • No verified athletic testing is included in the sealed dataset for this prospect.
  • 11 contributing public boards rank this prospect; the Public Draft Board places him at #74.
  • The aggregate public rank fell 27 spots between the two most recent sealed weekly snapshots.

Each note restates a displayed fact. None is a forecast of NFL performance.

Experience and measurements

Listed height
6'5"
Listed weight
313 lb
Class
Senior
Age
Not in dataset
Recorded school
SMU
Former school
Not in dataset
Hometown
Dickinson, TX
Jersey
#59
Recruiting stars
4-star
Recruiting rank
#69 nationally

"Not in dataset" means the value is absent from the sealed dossier dataset, not that it does not exist.

Athletic testing

Not included in the sealed dataset. No combine, pro-day, or RAS value is retained for the 2027 class; absence here does not mean no testing has taken place.

Listed roster height and weight (CollegeFootballData); no verified athletic testing is retained. Bio captured August 29, 2026.

Historical comparisons

Historical profile comparisons are being rebuilt.

Sources and methodology

  • Retained bio and measurements: Draftanomics prospect ingest (CollegeFootballData rosters and recruiting), retained seed data/seed/prospects_upcoming_full.parquet.
  • Retained college production: CollegeFootballData season statistics via the retained player cross-reference; position-relevant categories only; all-zero category rows dropped.
  • Age: unavailable — no birth date or age is retained for the 2027 class.
  • Transfer history: not retained — the page shows the current school and, where the frozen id names a different school, the former school.
  • Public Draft Board: sealed snapshot as of August 31, 2026; per-source ranks are not published under the aggregate-only source policy.

Board methodologyDossier methodologyResearch status

Board position reflects aggregated public opinion; the scouting report is a separate editorial assessment.