William Poole 2023 NFL Draft Scouting Report

Background: 

• A consensus four-star recruit

• 2017 Under Armour All-American Game
• No. 52 player nationally on the Top 150 Dream Team

System: 

• Scheme tendencies: Man coverage with a mixture of multiple blitz packages
• 2022 projected role: Starting left CB

Pros: One of the elder statesmen on the Bulldogs roster, William Poole was one of the first commitments for Head Coach Kirby Smart. Poole is a good communicator of information pre-snap with his teammates. He plays both press and off-man coverage. He has no fear when tasked to play in the box as an extra run defender. He attacks stalk blockers with physicality and suddenness. He’s an instinctive defensive back and handles bunch and stacked sets well. His height, length, and style bode well to play on the outside. He projects as a bump-and-run cornerback that excels at disrupting the receiver’s timing. 

Cons: William Poole’s speed is concerning against twitcher and sudden receivers. Slight hip tightness hinders his movements. Transitioning into turn/run phase, his movements are segmented and lack fluidity. In off-coverage, twitchy receivers can step on his toes quickly, forcing him into conflict while playing catch technique. He struggles to chase receivers down after they get past him. He must improve his eyes—greedy tendencies to eyeball the backfield leave him susceptible to double moves. Overaggressiveness shows up with his trigger to squeeze on underneath routes. Due to playing nearly all of his snaps in the slot in 2021, playing on the outside is a projection.

William Poole NFL Draft Scouting Report by Damian Parson