When safety Evan Williams was taken by the Green Bay Packers in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft with the 111th overall pick, the Fresno State and Oregon alum wasn't expected by many to be a significant contributor as a rookie.
But that's exactly what he turned out to be, which is perhaps why Bleacher Report's Matt Holder listed Williams as Green Bay's "best-kept secret" heading into OTAs.
"Williams was good enough to make the PFWA All-Rookie Team last season, and he could take an even bigger step forward this fall," Holder wrote. "The Oregon product flew around the field and stood out in coverage last season, earning a 72.1 grade in that department from Pro Football Focus."
"If he can make more plays on the ball after having just one interception and three passes defended a year ago, Pro Bowl and/or All-Pro bids are in the fourth-round pick's future."
Well, that's bold. But Holder might actually be right.
Evan Williams should be the Packers' starting strong safety come September
As stated above, Williams wasn't viewed as someone who would step in immediately and contribute at the professional level.
A solid depth piece, sure, but not a key piece to the Packers' defense. And for the first month of the 2024 campaign, that's exactly what Williams was, as he took more snaps on special teams (55) than he did on defense (34).
But things suddenly changed when fellow rookie Javon Bullard shifted from playing more safety to more slot cornerback, thus giving Williams a chance to shine in the defensive backfield alongside veteran Xavier McKinney, who Green Bay acquired last offseason in free agency.
And it didn't take long for Williams to impress, earning an 81.4 overall PFF grade in Week 5 against the Los Angeles Rams and a 93.3 mark the following week against the Arizona Cardinals, taking a combined 116 defensive snaps in those two games.
Things never got quite that good again, but the California native had a solid season, even with having to miss four games due to injury, ultimately earning a 72.3 overall defensive grade after recording 49 total tackles, three passes defended, a forced fumble, and an interception.
Not only did Williams rank 24th among all NFL safeties, but, as Holder referenced, he was also named to the PFWA All-Rookie Team, the only other safety on the squad being the Houston Texans' Calen Bullock.
One would assume Williams, who's set to make just $960,000 in 2025, is in line to be the Packers' starting strong safety come Week 1 against the Detroit Lions. And if he's even slightly better than he was a season ago, that first Pro Bowl bid should become a reality instead of only a prediction.