The Philadelphia Eagles traded down from No. 70 to No. 73 in the third round of the 2021 NFL Draft, acquiring the No. 191 pick (sixth-round) from the Carolina Panthers. Philadelphia selected defensive tackle Milton Williams with the No. 73 pick, the second player from Louisiana Tech taken in franchise history (Ryan Moats in 2005 was the first).
Williams will slide into the defensive tackle rotation behind Fletcher Cox, Javon Hargrave, and Hassan Ridgeway in 2021. He was the 72nd-ranked player (No. 6 defensive tackle) in CBS Sports' rankings. Here are three things to know about Williams:
Impressive pro day
Williams garnered a lot of hype at his pro day. He put up 34 reps on the bench press and ran his 40 in 4.63 seconds, his 20-yard shuttle in 4.33 seconds and completed the three-cone drill in 6.96 seconds. A freakish athlete, Williams has the upper-body strength teams covet has he can develop into a starter over time.
Production over last two years
Williams had 10 sacks in his last 23 games (dating back to 2019). Pro Football Focus credited him with 30 pressures in the 10 games he played in 2020. A Conference USA First Team selection, Williams had 19 tackles for loss over the last two years.
Can play defensive end
Williams' athletic frame -- and experience in the 3-4 in college -- allows him to flex out to defensive end in the Eagles' defense. He won't be limited to defensive tackle, providing depth at both positions -- which is what the Eagles covet.
Scouting report
NFL comp: More athletic Kerry Hyder
Best trait: Pure athleticism
Strengths
- Freaky athletic traits across the board
- Has a developed arsenal of pass-rushing moves
- Serious closing speed
Weaknesses
- Smaller frame leads to him getting washed out on run plays
- At times is over-reliant on his athleticism, doesn't use his hands
- Was invisible in toughest competition in 2020 (BYU's offensive line)