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Message: [QUOTE="Stern, post: 3921092, member: 527"] [B][I]This is a portion of a Miami Herald article from today on Trill Williams.[/I][/B] ▪ In trying to predict which undrafted rookies have the best chance to stick, you always start with the ones given the most guaranteed money after the draft. And for the Dolphins, two stand well above everyone else: guard Robert Jones (given $130,000 guaranteed) and cornerback Trill Williams (who is guaranteed $100,000 by the Dolphins after being claimed off waivers from the Saints). And Williams has impressed in the first week of camp, making a few good plays on the ball and forcing two fumbles, after making an interception in mandatory minicamp. He has been beaten some too in the past week, but there’s potential there. Williams was considered a fourth-to-sixth-round talent before an ankle injury at Syracuse. The Dolphins offered Williams more money than the Saints did immediately after the draft, but Williams opted for New Orleans partly because he thought he had a better chance to make the Saints. But he ended up with the Dolphins anyway because the Saints — after signing him — wanted him to sign a waiver regarding his surgically repaired ankle. New Orleans thought it would sneak him through waivers and re-sign him, not expecting any team to claim him and inherit his $100,000 guarantee. But the Dolphins pounced. The 6-2 rookie had four interceptions in 28 college games and opted out after five games last season, because he thought it wasn’t advisable to continue playing with a torn ligament in his ankle. That ankle injury was affecting his hamstring and his ability to play to his level of expectation, his father told The Syracuse Post Standard last fall. He had surgery in December but is fine now. During the past three seasons, he had passer ratings against of 54.7 (2018), 98.7 (2019) and 80.1 (2020), with 92 tackles and three forced fumbles. Pro Football Focus rated him a fourth-rounder before the draft. NFL.com rated him a sixth-rounder. Making the Dolphins as an undrafted corner will be difficult with Xavien Howard, Byron Jones, Noah Igbinoghene, Jason McCourty (more of a safety now), Nik Needham and Justin Coleman having jobs secured. But Williams has a chance if Miami keeps six corners. “With Trill, what he brings on his tape coming out of Syracuse is he was a run-and-hit guy,” cornerbacks coach Charles Burks said. “He was a guy that was very physical on his tape. He played some corner and he played some safety, so again in our system, we like guys who are versatile and can do a lot of things.” Jones has a chance too, if Miami keeps 10 linemen (unlikely) or if the Dolphins keep nine but release a veteran backup such as Jermaine Eluemunor. But the fact the Dolphins might not keep a single undrafted rookie on the final 53 speaks to how the roster has been upgraded. And there’s definitely room for Jones and Willliams on the practice squad, and perhaps a couple of the other undrafted rookies such as Indiana defensive tackle Jerome Johnson. [/QUOTE]

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