Darious Williams is the unsung star of the Rams’ stellar secondary

Jalen Ramsey says it’s time for Williams to become a household name.

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Jalen Ramsey is a former top-five pick. Taylor Rapp was drafted in the second round. John Johnson was a third-rounder in 2017. Troy Hill had started 23 games in the NFL prior to this season. David Long Jr. was drafted in the third round to become a starter early in his career.

Yet, 5-foot-9, former undrafted free agent Darious Williams might be the most impressive player in the Rams’ secondary right now – right there next to Ramsey. Not to take anything away from Ramsey or the Rams’ other starters, but Williams is having a breakout season deserving of Pro Bowl honors.

Ramsey said it himself after the Rams’ win over the Seahawks on Sunday: “I think it’s time to start taking about D-Will in this league as a household name – as a guy who could potentially be an All-Pro and a guy who should be a Pro Bowler.”

Ramsey completely shut down DK Metcalf, not allowing a single catch in coverage. That led to more targets for Williams, who capitalized on the opportunities in front of him. In fact, he caught as many passes from Russell Wilson as Metcalf did.

Williams picked off Wilson twice, both of which were phenomenal plays you typically only see from veterans and Pro Bowlers. The first came in the end zone when he peeled off of his coverage assignment to recognize the ball was going to an open receiver down the sideline.

His second interception might’ve been even more impressive. He sat back in off-coverage, read Wilson’s eyes and broke on the out route perfectly, laying out to make a spectacular diving interception.

It all but ended the Seahawks’ chances of mounting a comeback, once again coming up clutch for the Rams.

Even when Williams wasn’t picking off passes, he was breaking them up. Late in the game, Wilson tried to hit Tyler Lockett in the back of the end zone, but Williams was there to deflect it at the very last second.

He timed his leap perfectly, almost baiting Wilson into the throw, knowing he had the makeup speed to close and break up the pass.

According to Pro Football Focus, Williams was targeted six times and allowed just one catch for 9 yards. He also forced two incompletions and allowed a passer rating of exactly 0.0 in coverage.

Oh, and he had a pick-six called back due to an offsides penalty, though it was on a throw that Wilson probably wouldn’t have made if it weren’t a free play.

This was certainly Williams’ best performance of the season, but it was nowhere near his only good one. Coming into this week, he allowed just 17 catches on 31 targets, giving up 231 yards and one touchdown. He had already picked off two passes, but that total has now doubled.

Williams has become the unsung hero in the Rams’ dominant secondary. When quarterbacks shy away from Ramsey’s side of the field, they look to Williams – because they have few other options.

He often makes them pay with either pass deflections or interceptions, giving Los Angeles two elite cornerbacks. Pick your poison is not a game quarterbacks want to play, but they’re forced to when facing the Rams.

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