Izayia Williams

Physical Profile

Listed at 6-1, 215 lbs. Taller than 21% and heavier than 51% of 2026 Linebacker prospects in the SEC Scouts database (207 with a listed size).

Play Style

On his junior film (the most recent full season) he plays fast and downhill as a WILL. He triggers quickly on run keys, beats blockers to the spot and finishes in space. Because he has played running back and receiver, he tracks the ball well and takes good pursuit angles on perimeter runs and screens. He blitzes well from depth and times his rushes. He is at his best in space. Stacking and shedding blockers inside was the less refined part of his game.

Strengths

• Range from sideline to sideline: 11.05 100m / 22.96 200m speed showed up as 125 tackles and 15 TFL as a junior, with his tackle production spread across the whole field rather than just between the tackles
• Proven two-way athlete: as a junior he ran 23 times for 423 yards (18.4 per carry) and 6 TD and caught 5 passes for 97 yards and 4 TD, so he has the ball skills and open-field feel that carry over to coverage and pursuit angles
• Can rush the passer: 4 sacks and 15 TFL show he can time blitzes and get into the backfield, which fits the pressure packages in a 3-3-5
• Held up against top competition: 7 tackles in the Under Armour All-America Game as an underclassman, and a No. 1 LB ranking from Rivals

Areas to Improve

• Durability and knee health: an ACL tear in the May 2025 spring game, then a same-knee injury needing surgery in September 2026. Getting his explosiveness back and proving he can take a full season of contact is the top development priority
• Missing reps: he has lost his senior season and his freshman season, so he has had almost no full-speed live reps since his junior year. He needs a lot of work on reading keys, taking on blocks and diagnosing plays in the passing game before he is ready to start
• Strength at the point of attack: at 226 he still needs to add functional mass so he can shed guards in the box without giving up the speed that makes him valuable

College Projection

FSU true freshman under DC Tony White. Before the injury he was expected to rotate right away, and ESPN picked him as the No. 4 impact freshman in the ACC. He played 19 snaps (7 on defense, 12 on special teams) against New Mexico State and 6 on special teams against SMU before getting hurt. With surgery in September 2026 and roughly nine months to recover, a medical redshirt for 2026 is the likely outcome, and he probably won't be back to full speed until 2027 fall camp. Realistically: special teams and rotation work in 2027, and a push to start at WILL in 2028 if the knee holds up. His ceiling is still a multi-year starter, but his medical outcome matters more than his talent.

NFL Outlook

Before the injuries he was a Day 2 prospect in the making: a fast, space-capable 6-2 linebacker with pass-rush and coverage traits is exactly the modern NFL WILL profile. Two major surgeries on the same knee at 18-19 will draw heavy scrutiny in medical evaluations. To get back into the draft conversation he needs at least two healthy, productive seasons, with his speed back where it was. If he recovers fully, Day 2-3. If his explosiveness doesn't come back, his NFL path becomes much less certain.

Best Fit

An odd-front or 3-3-5 defense like Florida State's under Tony White, which uses linebackers as space players and pressure players instead of downhill thumpers taking on guards. His best fit is a staff with a patient medical and strength program that lets him redshirt and rebuild the knee, then uses him as a WILL or overhang who blitzes and covers backs.